# SS United States Sinking Timeline

> Okaloosa County plans November sinking of historic ship as artificial reef after legal battle.
- Title: SS United States Sinking Timeline · PhillyVoice | Shortify
- Summary: Okaloosa County plans November sinking of historic ship as artificial reef after legal battle. Okaloosa County will sink the SS United States in early…
- Keywords: ss united states, okaloosa county, artificial reef, sinking, florida, environmental review, museum, diving, pier 82, philadelphia, zinc chromate, u.s. army corps of engineers
- Source: PhillyVoice — https://phillyvoice.com/ss-united-states-sinking-date-florida
- Published: 2026-10-12T17:30:40.123+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ss united states, okaloosa county, artificial reef, sinking, florida, environmental review, museum, diving, pier 82, philadelphia, zinc chromate, u.s. army corps of engineers
## SS United States Sinking Timeline
Okaloosa County officials say the historic ship will be sunk during the second week of November in the Gulf of Mexico.
## Historic Ship Sinking Details
The ship, docked at Pier 82 in Philadelphia from 1996 to February 2025, will become an artificial reef for diving.
## Legal Sale and Cost
After a legal battle with Penn Warehousing, the ship's conservancy sold it to Okaloosa County for $1 million.
## Environmental Concerns
The ship is coated in zinc chromate primer, which activists say could pollute the Gulf of Mexico and disrupt food supplies.
## Environmental Review Process
Okaloosa County requires approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before the sinking can proceed.
## Sinking Timeline
The ship is scheduled to be sunk in early November after cleaning and removing two smokestacks for the museum.
## Documentary Plans
A documentary about the ship will be released within two weeks after the sinking, directed by Robert Radler.
## Museum and Tourism
Okaloosa County plans to build a museum about the ship's history and use it as an artificial reef for tourism.
## Environmental Compliance
Okaloosa County claims the project meets EPA standards despite concerns about zinc chromate pollution.
## Sinking Location
The ship will be sunk 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
## Key takeaway

Okaloosa County will sink the SS United States in early November as an artificial reef after resolving a $1 million legal sale and environmental reviews.