Current:Home > ContactHistoric ship could soon become the world’s largest artificial reef-DB Wealth Institute B2 Reviews & Ratings
Historic ship could soon become the world’s largest artificial reef
lotradecoin privacy policy explained View Date:2024-12-26 03:38:38
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A historic ocean liner that once ferried immigrants, Hollywood stars and heads of state may soon find its final resting place at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, after a Florida county inked a tentative deal to turn the ship into the world’s largest artificial reef.
The contract approved Tuesday by officials in Okaloosa County on Florida’s coastal Panhandle is contingent upon the resolution of court-imposed mediation, after a judge ordered the storied but aging ship to vacate its berth at a pier in Philadelphia, following a yearslong dispute over rent and dockage fees.
The largest passenger ship ever built in the U.S., the SS United States shattered a record for the fastest transatlantic crossing by a passenger liner on its maiden voyage in 1952, The Associated Press reported from aboard the vessel.
But the ship has been in a race against time to find a new home, with conservationists scrambling to find an alternative to scrapping the massive ocean liner, which is more than 100 feet (30 meters) longer than the Titanic.
The solution: sink it on purpose and create what supporters hope will be a barnacle-encrusted star in Okaloosa County’s constellation of more than 500 artificial reefs, making it a signature diving attraction that could generate millions of dollars a year in local tourism spending for scuba shops, charter fishing boats and hotels.
“To have an opportunity to have the SS United States right here by our shore is a heritage and a legacy that is generational,” said Okaloosa County Commissioner Mel Ponder. “I’m very excited for not only what it does for the diving community, but also the fishing community, but the community at large.”
The deal to buy the ship, which officials said could cost more than $10 million, could close in a matter of weeks, pending court mediation. The lengthy process of cleaning, transporting and sinking the vessel is expected to take at least 1.5 years.
“The SS United States has inspired millions the world over as a symbol of American pride and excellence,” said Susan Gibbs, president of the SS United States Conservancy, the nonprofit working to preserve the vessel. “Should the ship be converted into an artificial reef, she will become a unique historic attraction above and below the waterline.”
___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
veryGood! (45)
Related
- Police identify suspect in break-in of Trump campaign office in Virginia
- Scottie Scheffler unstoppable and wins another Masters green jacket
- Eleanor Coppola, wife of director Francis Ford Coppola, dies at 87
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, 'Amazing to see you!'
- Family of man killed by Connecticut police officer files lawsuit, seeks federal probe of department
- The best (and worst) moments of Coachella Day 2, from No Doubt's reunion to T-Pain's line
- Revenge's Emily VanCamp and Josh Bowman Welcome Baby No. 2
- Horoscopes Today, April 13, 2024
- Horoscopes Today, August 14, 2024
- Millions in Colombia's capital forced to ration water as reservoirs hit critically low levels
Ranking
- Emily in Paris' Ashley Park Reveals How Lily Collins Predicted Her Relationship With Costar Paul Forman
- Colts sign three-time Pro Bowl DT DeForest Buckner to hefty contract extension
- Pilot of experimental plane fell out and hit the tail in 2022 crash that killed 2, investigators say
- Divisive? Not for moviegoers. ‘Civil War’ declares victory at box office.
- American Supercar: A first look at the 1,064-HP 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
- A Second Real Housewives of Potomac Star Is Leaving After Season 8
- Here's the maximum Social Security benefit you can collect if you're retiring at 70 this year
- 13-year-old girl shot to death in small Iowa town; 12-year-old boy taken into custody
Recommendation
-
How you can get a free scoop of ice cream at Baskin Robbins Wednesday
-
Suspect in custody after shots fired from Marina del Rey rooftop prompt alert in Los Angeles area
-
World’s oldest conjoined twins, Lori and George Schappell, die at age 62 in Pennsylvania
-
The NBA’s East play-in field is set: Miami goes to Philadelphia while Atlanta goes to Chicago
-
Wildfires are growing under climate change, and their smoke threatens farmworkers, study says
-
The Reasons 71 Bachelor Nation Couples Gave for Ending Their Journeys
-
Ford, Daimler Truck, Chrysler, Jeep among 131k vehicles recalled: Check car recalls here
-
Eleanor Coppola, wife of director Francis Ford Coppola, dies at 87