We got back from Southern California the other day, and I’ll be writing some posts in the coming weeks related to the trip (in the meantime, check out the Instagram page for photos and videos). Today, though, I wanted to write about something that’s been on my mind for the last few months but have been unable to collect my thoughts or find the right words. I’m talking about the recent news regarding the SS United States. I’ve supported the SS United States Conservancy since 2011 when I was working aboard the Big U’s old rival, Queen Mary.
Please note that I am in no way affiliated with the Conservancy. I’m just a ship nerd with a blog.
A Bleak Future
On June 14, 2024, “America’s Flagship” was ordered to find a new berth by September 12. This came after a lengthy dispute over dockage fees between the ship’s owners, the SS United States Conservancy and Penn Warehousing. The 990-foot United States has been moored at South Philadelphia’s Pier 82 for the last 28 years. The Conservancy filed a motion to extend the date to December, but this was denied on August 19. However, the judge noted that the September 12 deadline could be used for the Conservancy to finalize a plan for the ocean liner. The ship would not need to be moved by this date as originally ordered.
In a statement released on August 21, the SS United States Conservancy said:
While our three-month extension to handle logistical, safety, environmental, and regulatory challenges associated with moving the vessel was not granted, we appreciate Judge Brody’s openness to the ship staying at her current pier beyond September 12 should we secure a contract to remove the vessel by that time. We also appreciated her expectation that a good faith negotiation between the Conservancy and Penn Warehousing, the pier operator, for a reasonable extension be undertaken, should that scenario come to pass.
The United States is at a critical juncture, and now has just over three weeks until this deadline. After the ruling, the Conservancy launched an urgent $500,000 fundraising campaign to help cover relocation expenses, including dockage fees, shipboard surveys and moving preparations, maritime insurance, tugboats and crew costs, and pier infrastructure improvement at the ship’s new location. I’ve been supporting this effort when I can, as have many other people as well.
The SS United States Conservancy purchased “America’s Flagship” in 2011 and have always had its work cut out for them. According to their website, they lead “the global effort to ensure that this enduring expression of American pride and innovation educates and inspires for generations to come.” They have a community of supporters across the world who all want to see the SS United States preserved as one of the last remaining icons of the golden age of ocean liners.
The United States is, after all, the ship that took the coveted Blue Riband from RMS Queen Mary and is still considered to be the fastest ocean liner ever built. She carried thousands of passengers from 1952-1969 and was one of the most modern ships ever built (even if her interiors were a little too sterile for my tastes). Her red, white, and blue funnels became an iconic sight on both sides of the Atlantic.
Unlike the Queen Mary, which has remained largely intact since her 1967 arrival in Long Beach, the United States‘ interiors would have to be completely rebuilt. Most of her interior spaces were gutted and stripped to the bulkheads in the early-1990s for asbestos removal. Virtually nothing remains of her modern and unique 1950s spaces. According to their website, “The Conservancy’s mission includes a restoration of several of the ship’s grand public rooms to their original configuration with both original and replica materials.”
That said, redevelopment – and not restoration – has been a key focus for the Conservancy. Having the SS United States used as “a stationary mixed-use destination” has been a goal for years. Personally, I agree that this is the way to go. Just take a look at what’s been going on at the Queen Mary in recent years.
But none of these plans or ideas matter if the United States can’t find a new home in the next three weeks.
Time is Running Out
Where do you move a 990-foot ocean liner? And in such a short amount of time too?
As with elsewhere on social media, the Conservancy’s Facebook page is full of opinions. While most commenters have been supportive from what I’ve seen, others have been savagely critical of the Conservancy’s efforts and “mishandling” of the ship. A frequent comment I’ve seen suggests moving the ship over to the nearby Philadelphia Navy Yard.
The Conservancy responded to one such Facebook comment with the following:
The Philadelphia Navy Yard today consists of a mix of both U.S. Navy properties and private, commercial piers. The Conservancy contacted the U.S. Navy about Pier 4, where the USS John F. Kennedy is berthed, because the ship breaker who purchased the retired aircraft carrier is preparing to tow the vessel to Texas for scrapping. Unfortunately, the U.S. Navy has a backlog of inactive ships needing pier space, and Pier 4 is already set to berth two Navy ships. The U.S. Navy told us that even their inactive ship facilities at Bremerton, Washington, and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, currently have no space available. Nevertheless, they are helping us engage with other parts of the Navy to explore options elsewhere. The Conservancy has also engaged with commercial dock operators within the Philly Navy Yard complex as well, but no docks that are both suitable and available have been identified to date.
The Conservancy has also reportedly approached port authorities in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. It has also previously said that it’d be open to a West Coast location as well (how cool would it be to have the Queen Mary and the United States moored alongside each other?) These efforts have resulted in dead ends so far. Other options may be out there, however, and could result in a last-minute miracle.
It’s worth noting, however, that the Maritime Executive also reports that the Conservancy is in talks with both Escambia and Okaloosa Counties in Florida about potentially sinking the ship as an artificial reef. But there are concerns with the short timeline and moving the massive liner during hurricane season.
Alternate discussions with potential scrappers are also reportedly underway. This would undoubtedly be a last resort.
Final Thoughts
A lot of people feel that if the SS United States were going to be saved, then it would have happened by now. They think it’s time to let the ship go. It pains me to think that they might be right (and honestly, they probably are). Options are severely limited, and things look pretty bleak for the Big U right now.
However, I refuse to give up hope just yet. As Yogi Berra once quipped, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” Things often have a funny way of working out. The press surrounding the ship’s eviction from Pier 82, for instance, has undoubtedly been the most press she’s gotten in years. This whole situation has helped to raise awareness about the United States and show just how easy it would be to lose her forever. And now that the Conservancy needs to have plans finalized by September 12 instead of moving the ship, this buys a little bit of extra time.
I’m going to continue donating what I can to the SS United States Conservancy until the very end. While this may very certainly be the ship’s last chapter, I don’t feel that it is. Not yet.
Next Post in Series: SS United States: The World’s Largest Artificial Reef?
References
- “Court Rejects Bid to Delay Date to Finalize Plan to Move SS United States.” The Marine Executive. August 19, 2024. https://maritime-executive.com/article/plan-to-move-ss-united-states-must-be-finalized-by-september-12-court-says/.
- “Florida County May Consider Buying and Sinking SS United States.” The Maritime Executive. July 23, 2024. https://maritime-executive.com/article/florida-county-may-consider-buying-and-sinking-ss-united-states/.
- Guilhem, Matt. “The fastest ocean liner to cross the Atlantic faces eviction from a pier.” NPR. March 11, 2024. https://www.npr.org/2024/03/11/1237529064/the-fastest-ocean-liner-to-cross-the-atlantic-faces-eviction-from-pier/.
- “Iconic Ocean Liner SS United States Ordered to Leave Berth by September.” The Marine Executive. June 14, 2024. https://maritime-executive.com/article/iconic-ocean-liner-ss-united-states-order-to-leave-berth-by-september/.
- “Save America’s Flagship: An Urgent Call for Help.” SS United States Conservancy. June 24, 2024. https://www.ssusc.org/save-the-united-states/.
- “Statement from the SS United States Conservancy.” SS United States Conservancy. August 21, 2024. https://www.ssusc.org/news/2024/08/21/statement-from-the-ss-united-states-conservancy/.
One response to “The Fate of the SS United States”
My dad almost signed up to crew on the U after he got out of the navy, but ended up going back to farm in Nebraska.
When I get back to Bandelier I’ll share with you his stories of training at the Brooklyn Navy Yard during WW II and watching the liners coming and going, including going on board the Normandie after it sank.