传奇邮轮「美国号」11月第二周将在佛罗里达州外海沉入海底：成为全球最大人工鱼礁
位于美国佛罗里达州 Okaloosa County 的县政委员会宣布，传奇远洋邮轮「美国号」（SS United States）将于11月第二周在该县 Destin-Fort Walton Beach 西南约22海里（约41公里）的墨西哥湾海域沉入海底，成为全球最大的人工鱼礁；县方表示，具体沉船日期取决于天气，尚未最终确定。
县政委员会在10月9日发布的声明中表示，该船的布放（沉船）工作将与安全与安保合作伙伴协同推进，务求安全高效。声明说：「这是令人振奋的一步，将为环境和本地旅游业创造独一无二的资源。」据美联社报道，该地区已有500多座人工鱼礁，县方预计这一项目将为潜水店、包船钓鱼和酒店等本地商家带来每年数百万美元的生意。
「美国号」船长约990英尺（约302米），1951年下水，1952年7月首航即以3天10小时40分钟横渡大西洋，打破英国「玛丽皇后号」（RMS Queen Mary）保持14年的纪录，夺得象征最快横渡的蓝飘带（Blue Riband），这一邮轮横渡纪录保持至今。该船兼具豪华邮轮与必要时可征用为军用运输船的设计，1969年在航空旅行兴起、运营成本超过收入后退役。
退役后，该船长期停泊，1996年起停在 Philadelphia 的82号码头近三十年，船体逐渐锈蚀。多个改建计划因成本高昂未能实现。2024年10月，Okaloosa County 以100万美元购入该船；2025年2月19日，该船离开 Philadelphia，被拖航约1,800英里前往亚拉巴马州 Mobile 进行沉船前处理，包括清除有毒有害物质、封隔不适合潜水进入的区域、清洗全部128个燃料与润滑油舱等。
据「美国号」保护组织（SS United States Conservancy）介绍，船体修复处理已经完成，美国陆军工程兵团已签发布放的最终批准，联邦环保署（EPA）未提出反对。沉船将不使用炸药，而是通过受控进水让船体以正直姿态沉坐于约180英尺深的海底，上层甲板距水面约55英尺；整个过程计划进行直播，海岸警卫队将在周边设置安全警戒区。
在同一海域附近，911英尺长的退役航母「奥里斯卡尼号」（USS Oriskany）人工鱼礁已经躺在海底；「美国号」沉放后将成为全球最大人工鱼礁，「奥里斯卡尼号」退居第二。保护组织还在计划一座陆上博物馆，选址靠近未来潜水游船的出发点，展出该船六层高的烟囱、雷达桅杆以及其他在沉船准备中保留下来的部件与船上艺术品、文物。
Legendary Liner SS United States to Be Sunk off Florida in November as World's Largest Artificial Reef
The Board of County Commissioners of Okaloosa County, Florida, has announced that the legendary ocean liner SS United States will be sunk in the second week of November in the Gulf of Mexico, about 22 nautical miles (41 km) southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, to become the world's largest artificial reef. The county said the exact sinking date depends on the weather and has not been finalized.
In an October 9 statement, the board said it is working with safety and security partners for a safe and efficient deployment. "This is an exciting move forward to create a one-of-a-kind resource for the environment and for our tourism industry," the statement said. According to the Associated Press, the region already has more than 500 artificial reefs, and the project is expected to generate millions of dollars a year for local businesses including dive shops, fishing charters and hotels.
The nearly 1,000-foot (302-meter) ship was launched in 1951. On her maiden voyage in July 1952 she crossed the Atlantic in 3 days, 10 hours and 40 minutes, beating the record set by Britain's RMS Queen Mary 14 years earlier and winning the Blue Riband — a transatlantic record for an ocean liner that still stands. Designed to serve as a luxury liner that could be converted to a military transport if needed, she was retired in 1969 as air travel rose and operating costs overran income.
After decades laid up, the ship spent almost three decades moored at Pier 82 in Philadelphia from 1996, slowly deteriorating, while redevelopment plans fell through over cost. Okaloosa County bought the vessel for $1 million in October 2024. On February 19, 2025, she left Philadelphia and was towed about 1,800 miles to Mobile, Alabama, for preparation, including removal of hazardous materials, sealing areas unsafe for divers, and cleaning all 128 fuel and lubricant tanks.
The SS United States Conservancy says remediation work is complete, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued final approval for the deployment, and the Environmental Protection Agency did not oppose it. No explosives will be used: the ship will be sunk by controlled flooding and is expected to settle upright at about 180 feet, with her top deck about 55 feet below the surface. The reefing is planned to be live-streamed, with a Coast Guard security perimeter around the site.
Nearby rests the 911-foot USS Oriskany reef; once the SS United States is down, she will become the world's largest artificial reef and Oriskany the second largest. The Conservancy is also planning a land-based museum near the departure points for dive tours, displaying the ship's six-story funnels, radar mast and other salvaged components, artwork and artifacts.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：2025年2月「美国号」在拖船护送下离开 Philadelphia 码头的资料图；WSRower 摄，CC0，经 Wikimedia Commons
