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In this paper, an Ant Colony Optimization-based Routing Protocol with Fuzzy C Means Clustering (ACORFCP) for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) is described. A set of Underwater Sensor Nodes (USNs) within the network communicates by transferring data packets to the Surface Station (SS). ACORFCP for UWSN encompasses cluster formation, selection of Cluster Heads (CHs), and an inter-cluster routing protocol. The network is divided into layers, and ACORFCP employs the Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) clustering technique to organize USNs, with CHs initially chosen based on cluster centroids and subsequently on residual energy. To ensure energy-efficient and reliable inter-cluster communication, the protocol integrates Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) for selecting optimal routes from CHs to the SS, considering node degree, residual energy, and distance. Simulation results show that ACORFCP achieves significant performance improvements over UWISN, MH-FEER, and SH-FEER, reducing energy usage by up to 57.17%, extending network lifetime by 54.01%, improving First Node Death (FND) by 40.44%, and increasing packet delivery to the SS by 73.81%.