NYC battles to save historic seven-figure ocean liner as Florida owner plans to sink it

This historic seven-figure ocean liner is caught up in the middle of a battle – NYC is fighting to save it, whilst its Florida owner wants to sink it.

The SS United States holds the distinction of having the transatlantic speed record.

But its glory days are far behind it now, and Okaloosa County in Florida want to sink it as part of a reef project.

But New York City has other plans and wants it to be restored for use as a museum and waterfront attraction.

EXPLORE SBX CARS – Supercar auctions starting soon powered by Supercar Blondie 

Why is this ocean liner caught in the middle of a dispute between Florida and New York City?

The ship was bought by Okaloosa County last year for $1 million.

In a move that will have surprised many people, the county announced it had plans to sink it as part of a reef project.

The hope was that it could be promoted as the ‘World’s Largest Artificial Reef’ and become a tourist dive attraction.

However, up in New York City, there were objections to this plan.

Councilwoman Gale Brewer introduced a resolution urging Congress and President Trump to intervene.

She wanted the ship to be made a historic location, restore it to its former glory, and make it a waterfront attraction.

“Letting this iconic vessel slip away would mean losing a huge opportunity to create a great new public space and maritime museum that could educate and inspire New Yorkers about our maritime history for generations,” a representative for Brewer told The New York Post.

A petition from the New York Coalition to save the SS United States has gained more than 15,000 signatures.

That sounds all pretty good, right?

There’d be a lot of people who relish the opportunity to look around a historic ocean liner.

So why are the Floridian owners planning to sink it?

Why Okaloosa County wants to sink the SS United States

The president of Visit Pensacola, Darien Schaefer, hopes that making the vessel a diving attraction will put the region on the world’s radar.

If sunk 180 feet below the water, the SS United States would join a dozen other shipwrecks in the area.

However, historians have testified in favor of Councilwoman Brewer’s resolution.

“There is an extraordinary opportunity to transform this national treasure into a stationary, dynamic cultural and economic asset,” retired education administrator David Di Gregorio testified on November 20th.

“The exterior of the SS United States — sleek, iconic and nearly as long as the Chrysler Building is tall — can once again inspire millions.”

Gilma Fields, from the SS United States Ocean Liner Preservation Foundation, called the planned sinking an ‘unthinkable catastrophe’.

Things aren’t looking good though, as the ship is still set to sink by March, as reported by The Daily Gazette.

Should the SS United States sink, it’ll join a club of very interesting shipwrecks.

There’s the USS Yorktown, which served during the Battle of Midway in World War II.

Then there’s the oldest shipwreck in the world, estimated to be 2,400 years.

And in some cases, shipwrecks take a long time to be discovered, as was the case with the SS Nemesis.

DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie