SOS! All Hands On Deck to Save the SS United States

Postcard image of the SS United States
The SS United States, in service between 1952 and 1969, was the largest, safest, most technologically advanced and perhaps most glamorous ocean liner ever built in this country. She was also the fastest ship in the world. On her maiden voyage, the United States broke the transatlantic speed record held by the Queen Mary for the previous 14 years by more than 10 hours, making the crossing in 3 days, 10 hours, 40 minutes at an average speed of 35.59 knots. For many years the ship held both the eastbound and westbound transatlantic speed records. In 1990, a wave-piercing Norwegian-built catamaran ferry broke the eastbound speed record but United States still holds the record for fastest westbound crossing.

The ship's relatively light weight helped make its great speed possible. Renowned American naval architect William Francis Gibbs had designed the frame and interior surfaces of the United States to be built with aluminum instead of wood, and no wood was used for accessories or decorations.

Since 1969, the United States has had several different owners who hoped to return the ship to service but financing was always an issue. In 1999, the ship was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but the designation did not come with the hundreds of thousands of dollars needed for annual upkeep. Today the United States gathers rust in a Philadelphia shipyard, scrapping companies circling hungrily. Owner Genting Hong Kong, through its subsidiary Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), put the vessel up for sale in February 2009 and is now reportedly accepting bids from scrap merchants.

Save Our Ship is the name of the national fundraising and awareness campaign launched by the SS United States Conservancy. A New York reception and screening of the documentary, "SS United States: Lady in Waiting," sponsored by the Conservancy and the Fort Schuyler Maritime Alumni Association, is scheduled for March 11, 7pm to 10pm, at the National Academy at Fifth Avenue and 89th Street. Tickets are $25 and may be reserved at www.SSUnitedStatesConservancy.org.

"The Conservancy understands that Genting and NCL are reluctant to continue covering the significant costs associated with maintaining the vessel in its current berth in Philadelphia and appreciates the good care the vessel has received since being purchased by NCL in 2003 with the stated intentions of returning the ship to seagoing service," reads part of a statement from the Conservancy. "The Conservancy has begun discussions with NCL with the intent of covering some of the fees associated with maintaining the ship in Philadelphia as it finalizes plans for repurposing the ship as a stationary attraction on a large metropolitan waterfront."

That metropolitan waterfront could be New York City. Click here to read about a pitch to bring the SS United States to the Hudson River.