On its maiden voyage in 1952, the SS United States shattered the transatlantic speed record, powering across the water from New York to France at an average of 41 mph. Its final trip looks quite a bit different. Pulled by tugboats, the ocean liner left Philadelphia Feb. 19 on a two-week trek down the Atlantic to Mobile, Alabama, where it will be readied for its second life as the world’s largest artificial reef.
At 990 feet long, the vessel is the largest passenger ship ever built in the U.S. It transported four American presidents (Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Bill Clinton), stars like Grace Kelly and Duke Ellington, and even the “Mona Lisa” before being retired in 1969. Residents turned up to say farewell to the American icon as it departed the city it’s called home for nearly 30 years. “It’s a shame to see it go, but better it be a reef than a scrap of metal,” one local told NBC10 Philadelphia.
The ship will eventually be sunk about 20 miles offshore from Florida’s Destin-Fort Walton Beach, but first must undergo a cleaning to remove hazardous materials like non-metal parts and fuel — a process that will take about a year, according to officials in Okaloosa County. The county has been working with the SS United States Conservancy since the nonprofit faced a court-ordered deadline last year to remove the ship from the pier, eventually striking a deal in October to save it from the scrapyard.
“This is an emotional maritime moment,” ship-sinking and reef expert Captain Joseph Farrell said in a statement released by officials, per NBC10. “The SS United States is a testament to America’s might and engineering ingenuity.”
In the ship’s next chapter, its story will be “told to thousands of divers from around the world as they explore her unique design and features,” a news release from the Destin Chamber of Commerce reads. “She will also benefit her surrounding ecosystem and become home to countless marine species that will thrive from the presence of her structure.”
Also in the works is a museum dedicated to preserving the ship’s legacy. According to the conservancy, which assumed control of the vessel over a decade ago, the tourist attraction will blend cutting-edge technology — like virtual reality experiences — with original artifacts, artworks, and archival documentation. It will be located near embarkation points for dive tours to the ship, promising to be a “must-see destination” for divers, history buffs, and tourists alike.
A rendering of the future museum.
“We are grateful to the people of Philadelphia for their steadfast support and appreciation of the SS United States over so many years. As home to so many historic national landmarks, Philadelphia has been a fitting port-of-call for almost three decades,” the nonprofit wrote in a Feb. 17 news release, “We also thank everyone who has supported the SS United States Conservancy during our 14-year stewardship of America’s Flagship, and we wish her ‘fair winds and following seas’ on her historic journey to her new home.”
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