Historic ocean liner departs Philadelphia on voyage to become the world's largest artificial reef

The historic, aging ocean liner that a Florida county plans to turn into the world’s largest artificial reef departed from south Philadelphia’s Delaware River waterfront on Wednesday, marking the opening segment of its final voyage.

The SS United States, a 1,000-foot vessel that shattered the transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in 1952, is being towed to Mobile, Alabama, for planned prep work before officials eventually sink it off Florida’s Gulf Coast.

The move comes about four months after the conservancy that oversees the ship and its landlord resolved a years-old rent dispute. Officials initially planned to move the vessel last November, but that was delayed due to concerns from the U.S. Coast Guard that the ship wasn't stable enough to make the trip.

Officials in Okaloosa County on Florida’s coastal Panhandle hope it will become a barnacle-encrusted standout among the county’s more than 500 artificial reefs and a signature diving attraction that could generate millions of dollars annually in local tourism spending for scuba shops, charter fishing boats and hotels.

Officials have said the deal to buy the ship could eventually cost more than $10 million. The lengthy process of cleaning, transporting and sinking the vessel is expected to take at least one-and-a-half years.

The SS United States was once considered a beacon of American engineering, doubling as a military vessel that could carry thousands of troops. Its maiden voyage broke the transatlantic speed record in both directions when it reached an average speed of 36 knots, or just over 41 mph (66 kph), The Associated Press reported from aboard the ship. The ship crossed the Atlantic Ocean in three days, 10 hours and 40 minutes, besting the RMS Queen Mary’s time by 10 hours. To this day, the SS United States holds the transatlantic speed record for an ocean liner.

“The ship will forever symbolize our nation’s strength, innovation, and resilience,” said Susan Gibbs, president of the SS United States Conservancy and granddaughter of the naval architect who designed the vessel. "We wish her ‘fair winds and following seas’ on her historic journey to her new home.”

The SS United States became a reserve ship in 1969 and later bounced to various private owners who hoped to redevelop it. But they eventually found their plans too expensive or poorly timed, leaving the vessel looming for years on south Philadelphia’s Delaware River waterfront.

The SS United States is towed down the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The SS United States is towed down the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The SS United States is towed down the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The SS United States is towed down the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The SS United States is towed down the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The SS United States is towed down the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The SS United States is towed down the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The SS United States is towed down the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The SS United States is towed down the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The SS United States is towed down the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The SS United States is towed down the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The SS United States is towed down the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The SS United States is towed down the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The SS United States is towed down the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from Philadelphia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Defending champion Gael Monfils lost his opening match at the ATP Tour stop in Auckland, New Zealand on Tuesday, three days after his wife Elina Svitolina won her 19th WTA Tour title on the same court.

The 39-year-old Frenchman lost 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 to 26-year-old Hungarian Fabian Marozsan at the ASB Classic in what may be the first match of his farewell season.

Monfils won the Auckland title in 2025 and told his wife Elina before her final on Sunday “if you don’t win this year I don’t know what to tell you anymore.” Svitolina and Monfils are one of only a few husband and wife teams to have held ATP and WTA singles titles in the same tournament at the same time.

Monfils started strongly in his first tournament since September, winning the first set with a break in the 11th game. He sent down 10 aces in the match. Monfils lost his first service game in the second set as Marozsan pulled off two superb winners at the net and went on to lose the set 6-3.

Monfils put up a great fight in the third set. After dropping his serve in the fifth game, he broke back immediately and tested Marozsan with his power variation. But Marozsan achieved the crucial break at 5-4 and held to take the match in exactly two hours.

“It's always special to play against Gael. He's a legend and a great player,” Marozsan said.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine stands with her husband, French tennis player Gael Monfils, after defeating Wang Xinju of China in the women's single final of the ASB Classic women's tennis tournament in Auckland, New Zealand on Sunday 11 Jan. 2026. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)