Credit: Okaloosa County/Cover Images The historic ocean liner the SS United States embarked on its final journey from Philadelphia to the Gulf of Mexico, where it will be sunk and transformed into the world’s largest artificial reef.

After months of multiple delays, the SS United States finally left its longtime home of Philadelphia just before 1 p.m. ET Wednesday. The storied ocean liner’s next stop is Mobile, Alabama, where it will be prepared for its final mission – to become an artificial reef off the coast of the Florida Panhandle.

The ship will eventually be laid to rest at the bottom of the ocean about 20 miles off the coast of Florida. It will become the world's largest artificial reef.

A storied ocean liner that offered passengers regal elegance while setting trans-Atlantic speed records for decades began its final journey this week at a much more measured pace.

The SS United States is getting towed down the East Coast on its way to the Florida panhandle, where it will be sunk and turned into an artificial reef.