NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - A historic ocean liner departed on Thursday for her final voyage, where it heads toward its watery grave off Florida's coast.
The SS United States passed by Virginia Beach Thursday, close to its birthplace at the Newport News Shipyard. The 990-foot ship broke the trans-Atlantic speed ocean liner record in 1952 — a record it still holds to this day.
Before SS United States is laid to rest on the floor of the Gulf of America, the vessel will be prepared for its sinking in the Mobile, Alabama shipyards.
"Once in Mobile at the shipyard is where the work will begin," Joseph Farrell, founder and chairman of the Resolve Marine Group said. "Basically, it's going to include to remove any of the remaining asbestos. It'll be to remove the exfoliating paint on the hull. It'll be to look, find any PCBs, any loose wiring and wiring in the overheads will probably be removed."
According to officials, Farrell is the world's top ship-sinking and artificial reef expert. Throughout his career, he has sunk 80 ships, including an aircraft carrier known as "The Great Carrier Reef" off Pensacola, Florida.
The process of cleaning, transporting and sinking the ship is expected to take at least a year and a half.
The ship will have traveled 18,000 miles before officials will sink it off Destin Fort Walton Beach on Florida's coastline, becoming the world's largest artificial reef.
"I've been a Mariner my entire life, and I really get mixed emotions about seeing a vessel being scrapped, or, but Reefing is just such a wonderful way to do this," Farrell said. "It's going to create such a fish habitat, so many jobs for people to come. It's the only and the best way for this vessel to go down, but you only get one shot at it. It's got to be done right."
The ship, which was in service from 1952 until 1969, has carried four U.S. Presidents, Marilyn Monroe, Joe Dimaggio, John Wayne, Judy Garland and over 1 million passengers.