Okaloosa County Sets Tentative Date for SS United States Project

Posted on 17 February, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Okaloosa County Sets Tentative Date for SS United States Project

Okaloosa County officials are planning to sink the SS United States this April, according to a report by Fox10 News.

Set to become the world’s largest artificial reef, the former ocean liner will be sunk 22 miles west of Destin-Fort Walton Beach.

Acquired by Okaloosa in 2023, the 1952-built vessel is currently being prepared for the operation in Mobile.

The process included remediation and decontamination of all of the ship’s interior areas and outside decks.

Carried out by Coleen Marine, the project also saw the removal of the ship’s two funnels, as well as its main mast, which will be used in a future land-based museum.

According to Fox10 News, Okaloosa County has already removed all the oil and fuel that were still onboard the vessel.

“She had 200 tanks onboard, so all that fuel and oil had to be removed. What they do in that process is suck it out of there and take it to an environmentally safe area,” Nick Tomacek, Okaloosa County Public Information Officer, was quoted as saying.

Contractors removed other hazardous materials as well, including non-metal parts, ensuring the deployment is clean and not harmful to the environment it aims to benefit.

Other modifications were also made to ensure that the vessel will land upright underwater following the assisted sinking operation.

He added that final Coast Guard inspections are set to start soon, with the exact deployment date dependent on weather conditions.

“While some folks did not want to see her sink, this is the next phase of the SS United States’ life, and she’s going to be enjoyed by divers, anglers and enthusiasts for years to come,” Tomacek said.

Okaloosa County also plans to livestream the reefing event on the Destin-Fort Walton Beach YouTube channel.

Out of service since 1969, the SS United States spent most of the last three decades docked at a commercial dock in Philadelphia.

Exploris One Reportedly Sold at Auction for 4.5 Million Euros

Posted on 3 February, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Exploris One Reportedly Sold at Auction for 4.5 Million Euros

The Exploris One was reportedly sold at an auction that took place in Nantes, France, on January 30, 2026.

According to Ouest France’s Le Marin, the ship was sold for 4.5 million euros, excluding mandatory legal fees.

The bid was considerably below the starting price of seven million euros set by the court, the French newspaper stated.

While the buyer’s name was not officially disclosed, Le Marin said that it is an “existing company that aims to put the ship back into expedition service.”

Originally built in the late 1980s, the Exploris One was designed for exploration cruises in remote and polar regions.

With a capacity for 132 guests, the 6,132-ton vessel was last in service for France-based Exploris Expeditions & Cruises.

Out of service since September 2025, the ship was auctioned as part of the liquidation of the company, which ceased operations in November 2025.

Interested parties were able to place bids for the expedition vessel online via Interencheres, a France-based marketplace for auctions.

According to the website, the sale was subject to a 14 percent premium in court proceedings, in addition to legal fees.

Bidders were also able to arrange visits onboard the vessel, which is currently laid up at the port of Caen in Northern France.

Built at the Rauma-Repola shipyard in Finland, the Exploris One sailed for a range of cruise lines over its 37-year career.

Before being acquired by Exploris in 2023, the ship spent over a decade operating for Silversea as the Silver Explorer and the Prince Albert II.

Other brands that operated cruises onboard the vessel include Society Expeditions, Sally Line, Delfin Risteilyt, Baltic Link and more.

Before being auctioned, the Exploris One was scheduled to undergo a statutory drydock at a shipyard in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

MSC Cruises orders a pair of World-class ships

Posted on 25 November, 2025 by Spacejunkie2

MSC Cruises orders a pair of World-class ships

MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique have announced orders for two additional LNG World-class ships – numbers 7 and 8 – valued at US$4Bn

The announcement was made at a double celebration event to mark maritime milestones for two other LNG World-class ships currently under construction at Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France: the float-out of MSC World Asia and the coin ceremony of MSC World Atlantic.

MSC Group executive chairman, cruise division Pierfrancesco Vago said, “We mark a proud moment today for MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique as we celebrate important milestones for our future – the float out of MSC World Asia, the coin ceremony of MSC World Atlantic and the order of two new ships.

“The World-class platform is a symbol of our vision to set new standards for the future of cruising. These are some of the most energy-efficient ships in the world, and we continue our commitment to LNG, ensuring we are ready for future renewable fuels. We look forward to continuing with our innovative and successful collaboration with Chantiers de L’Atlantique – our long-term partner for more than 20 years.”

Chantiers de l’Atlantique general manager Laurent Castaing added, “We are deeply grateful to MSC Cruises for their renewed confidence. What our shipyard is achieving today is truly exceptional – four new ships ordered in 2025. The World-class series, now totalling eight vessels, is a testament to our teams’ expertise and to MSC’s vision. It exemplifies our shared commitment to elevating the passenger experience while advancing environmental performance.”

MSC Cruises’ World class consists of MSC World Europa (2022), MSC World America (2025), MSC World Asia (2026), and MSC World Atlantic (2027), with the yet-to-be-named World-class 5, 6, 7 and 8 ships to follow by 2031.

The two new orders will be subject to access to financing, as per industry practice.