A legendary cruise ship bigger than the Titanic that has been left to rot for 30 years in Philadelphia could soon find its place under the sea for an incredible reason.
The proposal, which is still in negotiation with the U.S. District Court, would see the 1,000-foot SS United States transferred from Philadelphia to Florida’s Destin-Fort Walton Beach. It would then be sunk in hopes of becoming a new habitat for marine life and attracting divers and anglers from around the world.
The agreement is between Okaloosa Country, Florida, a local beach, and the SS United States Conservancy – the organisation dedicated to preserving what once was the fastest cruise liner in the world.
However, officials reportedlty fear that the cruise liner, once considered the fastest in the world, could smash into the huge Walt Whitman Bridge over the Delaware River in Philadelphia.
Sources told CBS that the height of the ship come within mere feet of the vast bridge with the coast guard reportedly worried about whether the famous vessel can make it to Alabama in one piece.
However the guard has said they are only waiting on more documents from Okaloosa County – who bought the ship for over $10million in October – before moving it.
And The Delaware River Port Authority, which operates and maintains local bridges, said in a statement: “At this time, we have not been informed of any changes to the previously established clearances or received notice of differences that could affect our bridges.”
If the plan is successful, it will generate millions of tourism revenue, which will benefit local businesses such as hotels and scuba shops.
Okaloosa County’s tourism director, Jennifer Adams, said: “This will be an exciting addition to our artificial reefs and wrecks and will provide essential habitat for fish.”
The cruise liner was originally built in the 1950s to move armed forces during wartime. It later carried dignitaries and celebrities across the Atlantic Ocean, including John F. Kennedy and Walt Disney.
From 1996, the cruise liner sat abandoned following multiple ownership changes and in 2021 the owners were instructed to find the ship a new home after they had stopped paying rent.
However, before the SS United States can be submerged a long clean-up process is required which is estimated that it will take over a year to complete.
There are also plans to open a museum which will honour the history of the ship. The museum would be funded by Okaloosa County and operated by SS United States Conservancy.
Susan Gibbs, head of the SS United States Conservancy and granddaughter of the ship’s designer, told The New York Times: “It’s not what I initially envisioned after spending years trying to save her [the SS United States].”
But now she sees the project as a chance to “write a new chapter for the SS United States as a world-class destination.”
