The SS United States is ready to be sunk ahead of becoming the world’s largest artificial reef, according to a recent report by Fox10 News.

Citing sources from Okaloosa County, the local news source said that the former ocean liner is awaiting approval from federal agencies before embarking on its final voyage.

A date for the sailing, which will end with a controlled sinking operation 22 miles south of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, is still to be confirmed.

County officials said that the vessel’s deployment was expected to take place in April before pushing the operation to early May.

The final stage of the development now depends on the pending federal approvals, according to Fox10 News.

Officials are said to be awaiting approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before submitting a final report to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The website reported that environmentally hazardous materials have been removed from the 1952-built ship, which is currently docked in Mobile.

After sitting in Philadelphia for over 30 years, the SS United States was towed to the Alabama port for the project in early 2025.

Over the past year, contractors worked onboard to remediate and decontaminate the vessel, removing fuel, wiring, non-metal components and more.

The process also included the removal of the ship’s two funnels and its main mast, which will be used in a future land-based museum.

Okaloosa’s project also included modifications to the vessel’s hull to ensure it lands in an upright position following the assisted sinking operation.

Out of service since 1969, the 47,000-ton ship was acquired by the county in late 2024 after spending nearly three decades in Pennsylvania.

As the world’s largest artificial reef, the vessel is expected to become a major destination for divers in the Northwest Florida Panhandle region.