Converting a Well-Known Ocean Liner into the World’s Biggest Artificial Reef
Photo Credit (Freepik)
Looking to the future, the SS United States, which has been anchored off Philadelphia for decades as a monument of the country’s maritime history, will be sunk to form the largest artificial reef in the world.
Even though shipwrecks and concrete blocks can provide hundreds of marine species with much-needed shelter and habitat, many old vessels from many different countries have found their final resting place in this manner. Coral reefs are under threat everywhere.
In order to transport troops across the nation in the event of a conflict, the United States was constructed in the 1950s. It was transformed into a luxurious ocean liner that was the fastest ship on the high seas and still holds the Transatlantic speed record after that absurd plan quickly proven superfluous.
Up until 1967, when she was permanently decommissioned during a routine maintenance stop, two years after the death of her principal designer and engineer, celebrities and heads of state promenaded over its decks.
The United States is set to set sail for her final voyage to Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida, where she will be sunk to join a collection of 500 other artificial reefs that offer an amazing show for divers, according to a contingent contract granted by the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners.
There are two procedures that need to be completed before the conversion from liner to reef can happen: an environmental evaluation and a mediation in District Court. Both procedures should go through smoothly.
According to the New York Times, the agreement will “also come with money from the county to open a land-based museum dedicated to the ship, one that would be run by the conservancy.”
Mel Ponder, a commissioner for Okaloosa County, stated, “To have the SS United States right here by our shore is a heritage and a legacy that is generational.” “I’m very excited about what it does for the community at large, as well as the fishing and diving communities.”
“As a symbol of American pride and excellence, the SS United States has inspired millions around the world,” stated Susan Gibbs, president of the nonprofit organization tasked with preserving the ship. Should the ship be turned into an artificial reef, both above and below the waterline, she will become a singular historical attraction.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimates that the conservative total economic benefit of the artificial reef system during its life lifetime is $138, or 13,800% return on investment, for every dollar invested in artificial reefs in the Florida Panhandle. This includes generating jobs in the building and upkeep of reefs as well as boosting the economy in other industries like local retail, dive equipment rentals, and boat charters.
