SS United States to leave Mobile for planned sinking off Florida coast

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The SS United States is scheduled to leave Mobile on Nov. 9, with its sinking planned for Nov. 12 off the Florida coast. The ship is set to become the world’s largest artificial reef.

Preparations in Mobile

The ship spent more than a year along the Mobile waterfront as crews prepared it for the sinking.

The SS United States has undergone cleaning and remediation. All 128 fuel and lubricant tanks have been emptied and cleaned, all 12 decks have been cleared, and hundreds of historic artifacts have been removed for preservation.

The ship also has received a 10-year reauthorization permit from the Army Corps of Engineers.

Lawsuit and court ruling

The SS United States Preservation Foundation filed a lawsuit arguing the sinking could create environmental hazards. The concerns include toxic materials potentially entering Gulf waters and the seafood supply.

“There’s a possibility of having a serious potential for a Superfund site out in the Gulf, and Gulf seafood could be a risk,” said Carlos Camacho Jr., co-founder of the foundation.

A federal judge denied the group’s initial emergency request to block the sinking, allowing preparations to continue. The foundation filed another request, but Okaloosa County says the project remains on schedule.

Tourism expectations

Officials say worldwide attention on the project could bring a tourism boost.

“The news about this artificial reef has gone worldwide. So we’re gonna see visitors to this area that we’ve never seen before just because of the ship,” said Nick Tomecek, an Okaloosa County spokesman.

Schedule

If everything stays on schedule, divers could explore the wreck as soon as the day after the sinking.