The 180‑foot F/V Calcasieu Pass was deliberately sunk by Delaware officials at Reef Site 13, 26 miles from the Indian River Inlet, on August 12, 2026.
Coleen Marine, a local contractor, prepared and towed the ship after Ocean Harvesters transferred it for a symbolic $1 payment in 2024.
Originally a supply vessel for offshore oil fields, the ship later served as a menhaden‑catching boat before retirement. Monty Deihl, CEO of Ocean Harvesters, said, “Retired working vessels can continue to provide value long after their fishing days are over.”
The reef sits at a depth calibrated to attract various fish species and support biodiversity, yet early surveys have not recorded measurable increases in local fish populations.
Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will monitor the reef for several years, tracking settlement of algae, barnacles, and the arrival of small and predatory fish; the project follows a state‑wide practice that has also seen vessels like Reedville sink off Mississippi and the Gulf Coast.
State biologists anticipate the structure will mature over the next few years, potentially drawing divers and anglers to the new dive site, but ecological impact remains unmeasured for now.