The fastest ocean liner to ever cross the Atlantic is about to embark on its final voyage. As Matt Guilhem of NPR member station WHYY reports, the SS United States is headed to the bottom of the sea and into the record books again.

The decision was made after a fruitless search for a new pier for the ship. It was considered the most dignified path to preserve the ship's legacy and create a new marine habitat.

The SS United States Conservancy has transferred the title of the SS United States to Okaloosa County and preparations are already underway to move the ship.

An agreement has been reached to turn the SS United States into the world’s largest artificial reef. The agreement resolves a years-old rent dispute. Earlier this month, the SS United States Conservancy reached a tentative agreement with Okaloosa County.

A historic ship that has been docked in Philadelphia for nearly 30 years will soon find a new home in Florida as the world's largest artificial reef.

The SS United States, the iconic ocean liner docked at Pier 82 for nearly three decades, is preparing to set sail for a new chapter in its storied history. A ceremony held Saturday by the SS United States Conservancy marked a heartfelt farewell to the ship, which will soon leave its Philadelphia home and head to Norfolk, Virginia, before its final destination in Okaloosa County, Florida.

The conservancy that oversees a storied but aging ocean liner and its landlord have resolved a years-old rent dispute that will clear the way for a Florida county to turn the historic ship into the world’s largest artificial reef.

The SS United States, a ship parked in Philadelphia since 1996, hosted a small farewell Saturday as it prepares to semi-retire to Florida.

In the conclusion of a years-long legal battle, the SS United States will officially leave Pier 82 in South Philly for Florida, where it will become an artificial reef.