At the end of last year, the flagship ship "SS United States" of the USA was prepared for its last voyage from Philadelphia to the Gulf of Mexico, where it was supposed to be sunk and transformed into an artificial coral reef. It was proposed that a ceremonial passage would be held for a ship that at its time set a speed record during the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean on its first voyage from New York to Southampton in England in 1952. However, dangers of coastal security and some "oil remnants" made the journey more complicated. The ship transported American presidents and valuable cargo, including the painting "The Monet's Lily Pads," but it will be sunk for sure. According to Nick Tomasek, the official representative of the Okaloosa County in Florida, who recently acquired this original vessel: "It is a gigantic project, requiring many steps for ensuring safe transport". The plan for moving the ship from Philadelphia to Mobile in the state of Alabama, where it is supposed to be prepared for sinking, has not been postponed for more than last minute. The main obstacle for the ship arose in the form of a "Captain’s port order," which the Coast Guard sent to the ship's owners at the end of November. According to CNN, the ship could not move because it "does not possess the necessary stability for proposed transit and may pose a danger for the port and the waterway". The ship had been in Philadelphia for more than two decades, during which time its owners had been looking for it to be given a new life. The Coast Guard reported a "hazardous stability issue" and "the presence of a large amount of oil remnants." They noted that the area would have to ensure the ship's hull safety and demonstrate its ability to withstand expected severe conditions before it begins its transit south. Local authorities told CNN on Friday that they had arranged "marine architects to conduct the final stability tests." According to Tomasek, the check was agreed upon with the Coast Guard on January 8, and the next steps will be the approval of the "sinking plan, taking tides and currents into account." Over the course of more than 70 years, the ship "SS United States" has captivated the hearts and minds of Americans with its distinct beauty, speed, and transported some of the most important individuals and cargo in the world, including many U.S. presidents and the painting "The Monet's Lily Pads" by Leonardo da Vinci. It was decommissioned in 1969. However, for the gigantic ship, larger than the "Titanic," a serious problem loomed. After a series of shipyard investigations, the vessel was evacuated from the port, where it had been located since 1996. The "SS United States Conservancy," a non-profit organization that has owned the ship for the last decades, stated that they, unfortunately, could not secure it another place due to its enormous size, which diminishes its chances of return drastically. The evacuation led to a crisis from the standpoint of time, but an unexpected buyer emerged with another plan: in the fall of 2024, the Okaloosa County plans to purchase the vessel to sink it and create "the largest artificial coral reef in the world." At this moment, there is no clear schedule for the departure of the ship from Philadelphia, but Tomasek says they hope to sink the vessel in the Gulf of Mexico by the end of this year or early 2026. Although the construction of this historic ship took several years, its sinking will take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes.
