UNITED STATES NEWS

Historic ship could soon become the world’s largest artificial reef

Oct 1, 2024, 1:34 PM

S.S. United States is moored on the Delaware River in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (AP P...

S.S. United States is moored on the Delaware River in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A historic ocean liner that once ferried immigrants, Hollywood stars and heads of state may soon find its final resting place at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, after a Florida county inked a tentative deal to turn the ship into the world’s largest artificial reef.

The contract approved Tuesday by officials in Okaloosa County on Florida’s coastal Panhandle is contingent upon the resolution of court-imposed mediation, after a judge ordered the storied but aging ship to vacate its berth at a pier in Philadelphia, following a yearslong dispute over rent and dockage fees.

The largest passenger ship ever built in the U.S., the SS United States shattered a record for the fastest transatlantic crossing by a passenger liner on its maiden voyage in 1952, The Associated Press reported from aboard the vessel.

But the ship has been in a race against time to find a new home, with conservationists scrambling to find an alternative to scrapping the massive ocean liner, which is more than 100 feet (30 meters) longer than the Titanic.

The solution: sink it on purpose and create what supporters hope will be a barnacle-encrusted star in Okaloosa County’s constellation of more than 500 artificial reefs, making it a signature diving attraction that could generate millions of dollars a year in local tourism spending for scuba shops, charter fishing boats and hotels.

“To have an opportunity to have the SS United States right here by our shore is a heritage and a legacy that is generational,” said Okaloosa County Commissioner Mel Ponder. “I’m very excited for not only what it does for the diving community, but also the fishing community, but the community at large.”

The deal to buy the ship, which officials said could cost more than $10 million, could close in a matter of weeks, pending court mediation. The lengthy process of cleaning, transporting and sinking the vessel is expected to take at least 1.5 years.

“The SS United States has inspired millions the world over as a symbol of American pride and excellence,” said Susan Gibbs, president of the SS United States Conservancy, the nonprofit working to preserve the vessel. “Should the ship be converted into an artificial reef, she will become a unique historic attraction above and below the waterline.”

___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

United States News

FILE - Supporters of Democrat Terry McAuliffe watch vote reports at an election party in McLean, Va...

Associated Press

Want to follow election results like a pro? Here’s what to watch in key states

WASHINGTON (AP) — Election night in the United States is a bit like a jigsaw puzzle, except that only one piece appears at a time, and you don’t get to look at the picture on the box. As thousands of counties and towns report vote totals, it can be hard to figure out when the […]

4 minutes ago

FILE - The Supreme Court building is seen on June 26, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, ...

Associated Press

Courts could see a wave of election lawsuits, but experts say the bar to change the outcome is high

WASHINGTON (AP) — When the Supreme Court stepped into the 2000 presidential race, Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore were separated by a razor-thin margin. The court’s decision to halt the recount of votes in Florida effectively delivered the election to Bush and shaped the nation’s future. The case is perhaps the most […]

7 minutes ago

Drew Griffith walks past three boats that washed up against the seawall in the aftermath of Hurrica...

Associated Press

Milton’s storm surge is a threat that could be devastating far beyond the Tampa Bay region

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Two weeks ago, Hurricane Helene “spared” the Tampa Bay region a direct hit and yet storm surge still caused catastrophic damage, flooding homes, drowning people who decided to stay near the coast and leaving massive piles of debris that still sit along roadsides. Now that Hurricane Milton, a more powerful storm, […]

17 minutes ago

Associated Press

Federal judge in Alabama hears request to block 3rd nitrogen execution

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge heard testimony Tuesday about what happened during the nation’s first two nitrogen gas executions, weighing whether to allow Alabama to use that method again next month to put an inmate to death. Attorneys for Carey Dale Grayson are asking a federal judge to issue a preliminary injunction to […]

18 minutes ago

Retired New York City Fire Department Chief Brian Cordasco, right, and his lawyer Frank Rothman, le...

Associated Press

Ex-FDNY chief pleads guilty to accepting bribes to speed safety inspections

NEW YORK (AP) — A former New York City Fire Department chief pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal conspiracy charge, admitting that he and others solicited tens of thousands of dollars over two years to give preferential treatment in scheduling safety inspections. Brian Cordasco, 49, of Staten Island, pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to […]

26 minutes ago

Highway signage announces the impending arrival of Hurricane Milton and the evacuations zones on Tu...

Associated Press

What makes a storm a hurricane? The dangers across 5 categories

Severe weather can target any part of the globe, but each year the Atlantic hurricane season brings heavy rain, strong wind, storm surge and sometimes catastrophic devastation to locations from the Caribbean islands and Central America all the way up through the United States and into Canada. Forecasters at the Miami-based National Hurricane Center monitor […]

44 minutes ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Sanderson Ford

3 storylines to get you revved up for the 2024 Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals training camp is just a couple weeks away starting on July 25, and Sanderson Ford is revved up and ready to go.

...

Collins Comfort Masters

Here’s how to be worry-free when your A/C goes out in the middle of summer

PHOENIX -- As Arizona approaches another hot summer, Phoenix residents are likely to spend more time indoors.

...

Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing

Beat the heat, ensure your AC unit is summer-ready

With temperatures starting to rise across the Valley, now is a great time to be sure your AC unit is ready to withstand the sweltering summer heat.

Historic ship could soon become the world’s largest artificial reef