SS United States Departs Mobile for Florida Sinking
The historic vessel leaves the Alabama waterfront to become a submerged artificial reef by next week.
By Ibrahim Howard ·
The SS United States departed the Mobile, Alabama, waterfront on Monday, November 9. The ship is scheduled to sink off the Florida coast on Thursday, November 12. Project leaders intend for the vessel to become the world's largest artificial reef.
Crews spent more than a year preparing the ship in Mobile. They emptied and cleaned all 128 fuel and lubricant tanks. Workers cleared all 12 decks and removed hundreds of historic artifacts for preservation. The Army Corps of Engineers granted the project a 10-year reauthorization permit.
The SS United States Preservation Foundation challenged the plan in federal court. The group argued the sinking could release toxic materials into Gulf waters and affect the local seafood supply. Carlos Camacho Jr., a co-founder of the foundation, stated there is a possibility of a Superfund site forming in the Gulf. A federal judge denied the group's initial emergency request to block the sinking. The foundation filed a second request, but Okaloosa County officials say the project remains on schedule.
Nick Tomecek, an Okaloosa County spokesman, said the global attention on the reef should increase tourism. He noted that visitors to the area will likely arrive because of the ship. Officials expect the wreck to attract a new level of international interest.
Divers plan to explore the wreck as soon as the day after the sinking. The timeline assumes the vessel stays on its scheduled path and sinks in the designated location.
