SS United States Title Transferred, Work Starts to Move Ship – Cruise Industry News

The SS United States Conservancy has transferred the title of the SS United States to Okaloosa County and preparations are already underway to move the ship.

According to a press release issued by the not-for-profit organization, the transfer is part of a court-ordered mediation settlement.

The Florida county is already moving forward with preparations to transform the retired ocean liner into an artificial reef.

The move effectively ends more than two years of litigation brought by Penn Warehousing, the operator of the pier where the 1952-built ship is currently docked in Philadelphia.

Facing an eviction notice, the Conservancy had to move the ship from the berth by mid-September, which did not happen.

“The court’s order left us with a very short window to find an alternative location for the ship. In fact, we’d begun our search well before Penn Warehousing sued the Conservancy in early 2022,” the group said.

“But after years of reaching out to private pier owners, government agencies, elected officials, and public authorities at the local, state, and federal levels, we were unable to find a location both suitable and available within the court-mandated timeline,” it added.

The Conservancy also stated that it vetted various entities that presented proposals to purchase and relocate the ship.

“None of these recent prospects satisfied minimum due diligence or proved viable within our current timing and logistical constraints,” the organization said.

Given the context, the group was left with no other choice but to scrap the vessel or convert it into an artificial reef in tandem with a land-based museum.

After allocating more than $10 million to the project, Okaloosa County will now start preparations to sink the ship off Florida.

According to the Conservancy, the SS United States will soon depart Philadelphia for Norfolk, where it will undergo extensive preparations for reefing over the upcoming months.

As part of the agreement with the organization, Okaloosa will also support a land-based museum and visitor center.

Plans for the space include the use of the latest technology for a state-of-the-art experience, the Conservancy said.

The museum will also receive the group’s collections of original artifacts and artwork from the ship, as well as at least one of the vessel’s iconic funnels.

Other features include a detailed recreation of spaces using original materials, in addition to the ship’s radar mast.

Photo: Preparations underway to move the ship. Credit: Boat Owners Delaware River