The SS United States Was Once History’s Fastest Ocean Liner. It’s About To Become The World’s Largest Artificial Reef

The SS United States once broke speed records, but it will soon have a new home on the seafloor off the coast of Florida.

Public DomainThe rusted exterior of the SS United States.

Once the fastest ocean liner in history, the SS United States is getting ready to take on a new title: the world’s largest artificial reef.

The ship was retired in 1969 after 17 years of service and sat in various ports between Virginia and Philadelphia for more than 50 years. Then, in 2024, Okaloosa County, Florida, purchased the vessel for $1 million, and officials announced the plan to sink the SS United States and turn it into a reef. The ocean liner will join hundreds of other artificial reefs off the coast of Destin — but its size will break records.

The History Of The SS United States

In a TikTok video with over 462,000 views, @knightsofthesea — the account of maritime attorneys at O’Bryan Law — the camera pans over the SS United States. The ship is in rough condition: Rust cakes its hull, and its paint has faded significantly.

Despite its present appearance, the TikToker notes in the caption that this was once a great vessel.

“She is the fastest ocean liner ever built, holding the transatlantic crossing world record since 1952 (top speed 38 knots/44 mph),” the TikToker explains. “Once the epitome of luxury, she hosted royalty and Hollywood legends like Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Marlon Brando, & Grace Kelly — to name a few.”

Soon, the TikToker says, the ship will have a new home — not in Mobile, Alabama, where it is currently docked, but at the bottom of the ocean.

Public DomainOn its maiden voyage, the SS United States crossed the Atlantic Ocean from New York Harbor to Cornwall, England in three days, 10 hours, and 40 minutes.

The SS United States is a storied ship.

Designed by American naval architect William Francis Gibbs, the ocean liner was launched in 1951 and quickly made a splash internationally. During its maiden voyage in July 1952, the United States broke the record for the fastest trip from New York City to Cornwall, England, by more than 10 hours. Days later, the ship also broke the speed record for a westbound voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.

Throughout its career, the SS United States played host to royalty, celebrities, and more. But by the 1960s, interest in ocean travel was waning due to the expansion of the airline industry. At the same time, United States Lines was in the midst of disputes with unions, meaning that passenger trips were frequently canceled or rescheduled, and service was unreliable.

Eventually, the company decided to use the SS United States for closer, cruise-friendly destinations, such as the Caribbean. But by this time, the ship was becoming dated and expensive to run. While there was a brief attempt to revive transatlantic cruises, United States Lines eventually withdrew the vessel from service in November 1969.

In the years since, a series of owners have tried and failed to make the ship profitable. One man bought the SS United States with plans to turn it into floating condominiums. Another tried to get the ocean liner running again, only to lose significant amounts of money trying to rid the vessel of asbestos. A conservancy was formed to save the ship, but it too faced financial troubles.

Finally, in 2024, Florida’s Okaloosa County decided to buy the SS United States and sink it near Destin to create the world’s largest artificial reef, giving the vessel an entirely new life on the seafloor.

Why Are Officials Sinking The Historic Ocean Liner?

For the owners of the ship, this seemingly out-of-the-box plan makes sense. Over the years, the United States has been stripped of most of its interior and mechanics, so restoring it would be costly.

Greg Grimes/Wikimedia CommonsThe USS Oriskany, a World War II aircraft carrier, was turned into an artificial reef off the coast of Pensacola in 2006.

This left only two options: scrap the vessel or repurpose it. Okaloosa County opted for the latter. According to a website devoted to the project, the county expects to bring in significant tourist revenue from the presence of the ship. Additionally, there are plans to construct a museum devoted to its history.

This plan has not been without controversy. Activist Erin Brockovich has called for further investigation of the ship’s components and a heightened effort to remove any potentially hazardous materials before the ocean liner is sunk. But despite setbacks, it seems that the SS United States is ready for its final destination at last.

Dennis O’Bryan, one of the attorneys behind the TikTok account, told All That’s Interesting he had a personal connection to the ship. “I was drawn to the vessel because my former employer and mentor, Leonard C. Jacques, a legendary lawyer in his own right as a Proctor in Admiralty… served in the engine room as a wiper on the vessel’s record setting voyage across the Atlantic,” he said via email.

Aurora O’Bryan, another attorney at the practice, noted that their social media pages have received stories from those who have taken a voyage on the ship.

“On Instagram,” said Aurora, “someone said, ‘I sailed in her from Marseille to New York in 1969. Steaming against the wind, it was almost impossible to stand upright on the deck. I saw her again in Philadelphia, it’s so sad to see her in this state.'”

“People don’t realize just how fast 38 knots can be!” Aurora noted. “It’s incredible the vessel still holds the record.”

While the date of the sinking is yet to be determined, all 990 feet of the record-breaking vessel will soon be resting far beneath the surface off of Florida’s Gulf Coast.

After learning how the SS United States is set to become the world’s largest artificial reef, read about some of history’s most famous sunken ships. Then, discover how an 18th-century shipwreck devolved into cannibalism.