
About Us Office of the Administrator Office of the Chief Counsel Maritime Administration at a Glance Policy Initiatives Gateway Offices Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) International Activities Budget Information Virtual Office of Acquisition Contact Us Freedom of Information Act Employment with the Maritime Administration Recovery Act Business History Education State Maritime Academies MTSA Course Certification Adopt A Ship Program K-12 Maritime High Schools Maritime Day Mariners Mariner Medals Women on the Water Re-employment Rights for Mariners Military to Mariners Environment & Safety Asian Carp Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet Ballast Water and Aquatic Invasive Species Office of Safety Arctic Transportation Ports Port and Cargo Security Infrastructure Development and Congestion Mitigation Port Conveyance Deepwater Ports Licensing Emergency Preparedness and Response Marine Transportation System National Port Readiness Network Ships & Shipping National Security National Security Cargo Preference Domestic Shipping American Fisheries Act Marine Highway Program National Maritime Resource and Education Center Ship Disposal Program NS Savannah Project Ships History Title XI Construction Reserve Fund Capital Construction Fund Small Shipyard Grants Program Resources Data and Statistics Policy Papers & Factsheets Public Forms Publications Related Links Video/Pictures/Audio Presentations News Items Maritime Advisories News Items News Releases Calendar of Events Speeches Photo Gallery

Home > News Items > News Items

Vandenberg Sinking Creates New Artificial Reef Off Florida Keys

Susan Clark
May 27 2009

Credit: Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau

In its 66-year career, the Hoyt S. Vandenberg has been a troop ship, a missile tracker, and a featured player in a Hollywood movie. On May 27, just before 10:30 a.m. EDT, the Vandenberg literally settled into a new career as an artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary about seven miles south of Key West. Explosive charges set on the ship worked perfectly, and the ship sank upright to the bottom in less than two minutes. Divers soon reported within an hour that the new artificial reef was already attracting fish.

The Vandenberg was donated by the Maritime Administration, which also contributed another $1.25 million to the project to prepare the vessel for reefing. The project required about $8.6 million and took almost exactly 13 years to complete from the time Key West resident Capt. Joe Weatherby picked the Vandenberg from a list of 400 ex-military ships to be reefed.

Artificial reefs attract fish and sea life, which in turn attract divers. The artificial reef created by the sinking of the Vandenberg is also expected to help protect the fragile natural reefs off the Florida Keys.

Weatherby, speaking to reporters soon after the sinking, said, "We hit a home run today. Everything was perfect." He estimated that the new artificial reef would generate $10-12 million a year for the economy of Key West, as well as creating 125 new jobs.

The Florida Keys now have an arc of artificial reefs and shipwrecks running from Key Largo to Key West.

Weatherby pointed out that the reef at Key Largo, created by the sinking of the Spiegel Grove in 2002, is the most profitable artificial reef in the world, and expressed the hope that the Vandenberg would soon surpass it.

The string of artificial reefs in the Keys is bookended by ships donated by the Maritime Administration, which also donated the Spiegel Grove.

# # #

News Items