Just last month Cruise Fever reported that the beloved SS United States was scheduled to be sunk and become the world’s largest reef.
But a last-minute lawsuit is aiming to upheave those plans and preserve the ship for future generations.
The SS United States, the fastest passenger liner ever built, was scheduled to be towed from Mobile, Alabama, on Monday, November 9, 2026, and sunk 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach on Thursday, November 12.
Steven R. Perry is the Co-Founder of The SS United States Preservation Foundation, a nonprofit that consists of veterans and seafarers. The organization is seeking to preserve the SS United States so more people can learn about the history of the vessel.
“She was built to sail these waters, not be sunk beneath them. You honor a flagship by giving future generations the chance to stand on her decks and understand what she represents”, Perry stated.
Last-Minute Motion for Temporary Restraining Order
The foundation filed an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida.
The lawsuit names several defendants, including:
- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and two Corps officers
- Acting Secretary of the Navy Adam R. Telle
- Okaloosa County, Florida
The group argues that the artificial reef project was approved without thoroughly examining potential environmental risks or fully complying with historic preservation requirements.
Environmental Concerns Raised
Part of the lawsuit focuses on the paint coatings still left on the ship. The Preservation Foundation is saying that zinc chromate paint on the hull contains hexavalent chromium, which some experts mentioned in the suit claim is toxic.
Okaloosa County has pushed back, saying that all state and federal guidelines were followed during the preparation process in Mobile.
Fuel was removed from the ship in addition to hazardous materials, flaking exterior paint, and PCB-containing items.
County officials said that federal EPA guidelines for artificial reef preparation do not require the stripping of intact paint coatings.
The Sinking is Still on Schedule for Now
Despite the last-minute lawsuit to save the ship, Okaloosa County is still planning to move forward as scheduled.
If the vessel is sunk without any interruption in plans, the 990-foot hull will beat the USS Oriskany to become the world’s largest purpose-sunk artificial reef. The ship will sit upright on the Gulf seafloor.
Okaloosa County continues to prepare for public viewing events and a live stream of the deployment planned for November 12.
Cruise Fever will continue to track this developing story and provide updates on the court’s ruling regarding the temporary restraining order.
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