World's largest artificial reef: Historic ocean liner embarks on final voyage to bottom of the sea
A county in Florida is planning to turn this ageing ocean liner into the world's largest artificial reef.
The historic vessel departed from south Philadelphia's Delaware River waterfront on Wednesday, marking the opening segment of its final voyage.
The SS United States, a 305-metre vessel that shattered the transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in 1952, is being towed to Mobile, Alabama, for planned prep work before officials eventually sink it off Florida's Gulf Coast.
The ocean liner will join the USS Oriskany aircraft carrier - currently the world's largest artificial reef - which was sunk off the Florida city of Pensacola in 2006.
The move comes about four months after the conservancy that oversees the ship and its landlord resolved a years-old rent dispute.
Officials initially planned to move the vessel last November, but that was delayed due to concerns from the US Coast Guard that the ship wasn't stable enough to make the trip.
Becoming the world's largest artificial reef
Officials in Okaloosa County on Florida's coastal Panhandle hope the SS United States will become a barnacle-encrusted standout among the county's more than 500 artificial reefs.
'Modifications will also be made to ensure that when the vessel is deployed, it will land upright underwater. The preparation process will take about 12 months,' a press release from country officials reads.
They say the SS United States will "become home to countless marine species that will thrive from the presence of her structure".
"Due to the size and the depth, she will be home to a wide variety of marine life from iconic reef fish such as red snapper to pelagic species of fish like wahoo," the press release says.
The county wants the vessel to become a signature diving attraction that could generate millions of dollars annually in local tourism spending for scuba shops, charter fishing boats and hotels.
The exact location for its final resting place has not yet been set but it is likely to end up around 20 nautical miles (37 kilometres) south of the Destin-Fort Walton Beach area. Okaloosa County's artificial reef programme is one of the most active in the US with current structures ranging from old bridge materials to surplus military equipment.
The lengthy process of cleaning, transporting and sinking the vessel is expected to take at least one and a half years. All remaining pollutants - like oils, harmful chemicals or asbestos - will need to be removed before it can be sunk off the Florida coast.
The SS United States still holds the transatlantic speed record
The SS United States was once considered a beacon of American engineering, doubling as a military vessel that could carry thousands of troops.
Its maiden voyage broke the transatlantic speed record in both directions when it reached an average speed of 36 knots or just over 41 mph, The Associated Press reported from aboard the ship.
The ship crossed the Atlantic Ocean in three days, 10 hours and 40 minutes, besting the RMS Queen Mary's time by 10 hours. To this day, the SS United States holds the transatlantic speed record for an ocean liner.
'The ship will forever symbolise our nation's strength, innovation, and resilience,' said Susan Gibbs, president of the SS United States Conservancy and granddaughter of the naval architect who designed the vessel.
"We wish her 'fair winds and following seas' on her historic journey to her new home.'
The SS United States became a reserve ship in 1969 and later bounced to various private owners who hoped to redevelop it. But they eventually found their plans too expensive or poorly timed, leaving the vessel looming for years on south Philadelphia's Delaware River waterfront.
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