The SS United States is one step closer to becoming an artificial reef off the coast of Florida.
The ship will be deployed in the Gulf of Mexico about 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach in the second week of November, a spokesperson for Okaloosa County said on Friday.
The deployment date could change based on weather.
Okaloosa County 
The ship, which crisscrossed the Atlantic Ocean with presidents, dignitaries and celebrities onboard for 17 years, is set to become the world’s largest artificial reef.
The ocean liner made its maiden voyage in 1952 and was docked in Philadelphia from 1996 until it started the journey to Florida in 2025. Dozens of people gathered along the Delaware River to bid the ship farewell as it departed Philadelphia in February 2025.
It’s been undergoing remediation and preparation in Mobile, Alabama, since March 2025.
Okaloosa County 
Before that, the fate of the SS US hung in the balance for months as a dispute between the SS United States Conservancy and the owners of Pier 82, where it was docked for years, played out in court. A complaint filed in federal court in 2024 showed the conservancy had failed to pay thousands of dollars in rent.
Okaloosa County bought the ship in 2024, and officials have said they plan to build an on-land museum dedicated to the SS United States. The museum will be near the embarkation points for future diving tours to the ship, according to the SS United States Conservancy, which is helping with the museum. The ship’s smokestacks and other elements have been preserved for the museum.
