The historic SS United States ocean liner is scheduled to be deliberately sunk off Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday to create what officials say will be the world's largest artificial reef, according to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).
The 990-foot (302-meter) vessel is set to be submerged approximately 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin East Pass in the Gulf of Mexico.
Purchased by Florida's Okaloosa County in 2024, the ship will provide a habitat for marine life and serve as a scientific research site while supporting the region's fishing and diving industries.
Researchers led by WHOI will examine how marine organisms colonize the vessel and how ecosystems develop around large artificial structures.
"This is an exciting opportunity to study and monitor the development of a new ecosystem," said WHOI marine biologist Kirstin Meyer-Kaiser.
Scientists will track changes in water chemistry, microbial activity and marine biodiversity, collecting water samples from 132 locations around the vessel to assess how metals released from its structure affect the emerging ecosystem.
The research team plans to establish baseline measurements within the first month and continue monitoring the site for several years.
The vessel has undergone extensive environmental remediation ahead of its planned sinking to comply with US environmental and maritime guidelines.
The SS United States entered service in 1952 and set a transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage, becoming a symbol of American maritime history.
The ship, which once carried celebrities and heads of state, spent decades out of service before plans emerged to transform it into an artificial reef.
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