The former ocean liner SS United States is slated to become the world’s largest artificial reef.
The 990-foot/302-meter vessel, holder of the Blue Riband for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic by an ocean liner, was purchased earlier this month by Okaloosa County in northwest Florida.
The county plans to spend about US$9 million/~€8 million to prep and sink the ship less than 25 miles/40km offshore.
As a comparison, after the 888-foot/271-meter former warship USS Oriskany was sunk off Pensacola in 2006, the site has since attracted more than 10,000 divers per year and brought in an annual $3.6 million/~€3.2 million in direct spending.
