The Historic Ocean Liner SS United States has been ordered to leave Pier 82 in Philadelphia by September 12, 2024. The once fastest passenger ship in the world is owned by a non-profit struggling to find a new location and cover the moving expenses of the 1000-foot-long ship.
SS United States Conservancy has been battling Penn Warehousing, which operates the Philadelphia Pier, where the ship has remained for 28 years.
U.S. District Court Judge Anita Brody ruled that the landlord could not double the berthing fee without any notice and told the ship to leave the dock. In the court, the landlord claimed that the vessel damaged the berth, while the Conservancy claimed it was false and was part of a plan to evict the vessel.
Conservancy President Susan Gibbs, Granddaughter of the ship’s designer William Francies, said that the judge’s decision gave them limited time to find a new home for the iconic ocean liner and raise money to move the vessel and keep it safe.
She said they were seeing potential piers in Philadelphia and along the East Coast and have contacted state officials to help with their efforts.
The Conservancy acquired the ship in 2011 and has worked to raise awareness about its history. Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company constructed SS United States in Virginia during the Cold War.
She was called the fastest Atlantic Passenger Ship of her time and is rumoured to have attained a speed of 40 knots in her sea trials.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, she maintained regular services to France, England, and later Germany, carrying renowned people, including world leaders, politicians, tourists, and immigrants.
After increasing competition from aeroplanes and reducing government subsidies, she was laid up in 1969 after having operated for almost 18 years.
The U.S. government acquired it in 1980 but then sold her to a real estate developer and then she passed hands through several owners who planned to undertake her redevelopment as an attraction.
In November 2023, the Conservancy, a New York real estate firm called RXR and a hotel management company, MCR, released a redevelopment plan to transform the ship into a museum. However, the plan cannot move forward until a permanent home for the ship is found.
The ship’s hull survey shows it is in good condition, though its interiors were stripped years ago to make space for redevelopment.
The Conservancy plans to launch a campaign to help relocate the vessel while working on redevelopment plans.
Reference: Cruise Industry News
