How to Sink a Ship: Preparing the SS United States For its Final Journey
2 min read
Summary
The future of the SS United States, the largest ocean liner ever constructed in the US, has been in doubt for some time, with the owner of the pier where it’s been docked attempting to evict the vessel.
A last-minute investor has appeared, but not in the form many fans of the ship would have hoped.
Florida’s Okaloosa County has offered $1 million to purchase the ship with the intention of sinking it and turning it into the world’s largest artificial reef.
The SS United States Conservancy has accepted the offer, on the basis that it’s a better option than scrapping the ship.
The ship will be cleaned and prepared for scuttling by cutting holes in the hull, both to allow for controlled sinking and to provide future access points for aquatic life and divers.
The upper decks will be placed at a depth of approximately 55 feet, making it accessible for even beginner divers, but the ship’s iconic, tall funnels will be removed and used as features of a new museum also being planned by the Conservancy.
The museum will house artifacts from the ship’s career and will aim to replicate the look of the vessel itself.
