SS United States preservation group files lawsuit to block planned sinking

The SS United States Preservation Foundation has filed an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida to prevent the historic ocean liner from being sunk. The vessel, once the fastest passenger liner ever built, was scheduled to be towed from Mobile, Alabama, in November 2026 to be converted into an artificial reef off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach.

The lawsuit names several defendants, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Acting Secretary of the Navy, and Okaloosa County, Florida. The foundation argues that the artificial reef project was approved without sufficient examination of environmental risks or compliance with historic preservation requirements.

Environmental concerns are a central component of the legal challenge. The foundation alleges that the ship’s hull contains zinc chromate paint, which includes hexavalent chromium, a substance described by experts in the suit as toxic. Okaloosa County has responded by stating that all state and federal guidelines were followed during the preparation process in Mobile.