Will it or won’t it be saved? The fate of the historic SS United States hangs in the balance as the ship’s owners scramble to fight eviction from its Philadelphia dock.
In a last-ditch effort, the SS United States Conservancy filed an urgent motion against Penn Warehousing & Distribution just hours before the ship was expected to be evicted from Pier 82 in Philadelphia.
The motion accuses the company of using various tactics to force its possible demise, including demanding $3 million from both the Conservancy and potential buyer Okaloosa County, Florida, to block the ship’s relocation.
This latest motion, filed on September 12, 2024, came just hours before the U.S. District Court for Eastern Pennsylvania’s deadline to remove the derelict ship from the dock. The court has now placed the deadline on hold as mediation efforts get underway.
According to court filings, Penn Warehousing has double the ship’s rent, demanded $3 million from the Conservancy and potential buyers, falsely accused the ship of causing damage to the pier, and attempted to sell the vessel without authorization.
“We’ve been dealing with the impacts of Penn Warehousing’s underhanded tactics for some time, but the revelation that they attempted to negotiate the sale of the ship without our knowledge or authorization is upsetting,” the Conservancy said in a statement.
It continued, “It is more proof that Penn Warehousing has engaged in a deliberate pattern of behavior intended to force the Conservancy’s default and seize the SS United States so that they can sell the historic ship for their own financial gain.”
The Conservancy has been battling for years to find a new home for the ship but claims that Penn Warehousing is actively obstructing its efforts. With the court ordering mediation, it remains hopeful that it can resolve the dispute and secure the ship’s future.
The Struggle to Save the SS United States
The SS United States, built in 1952 and designed by naval architect William Francis Gibbs, was once a crowning achievement of American engineering. At 990 feet long and capable of speeds over 38 knots, the liner was the fastest and largest passenger ship ever built in the U.S.
Known as America’s Flagship, it set a transatlantic speed record when it crossed the Atlantic from New York to England in just three days, 10 hours, and 40 minutes. The record still stands today for the fastest passenger liner to cross the Atlantic in either direction.
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The liner has been docked at Pier 82 in Philadelphia since 1996, with the SS United States Conservancy acquiring it in 2011. Over the past decade, the Conservancy has worked to preserve the ship and find it a new home due to the high costs of maintaining the vessel and the deteriorating condition of the pier.
In 2021, Penn Warehousing doubled the docking fees at Pier 82 to $1,700 per day – $620,500 annually. The Conservancy, which relies on donations and fundraising efforts, could not pay the increased rent and received a lease termination in March 2022.
Despite the Conservancy’s pleas to the judicial system, a judge ruled the ship must be moved. It is reported the Conservancy owes Penn Warehousing more than $731,000 in outstanding fees.
The Conservancy’s latest plan involves selling the ship to Okaloosa County, Florida, where it would become the world’s largest artificial reef. This would preserve the vessel’s legacy and boost tourism to the Florida Panhandle.
