SS United States - One Step Closer to the Beaches of Alang

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[Firestar]

SSUS Conservancy:

The SS United States Conservancy has learned that America's national flagship, the SS United States, may soon be destroyed.  The ship's current owners, Genting Hong Kong (formerly Star Cruises Limited), through its subsidiary, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), are currently collecting bids from scrappers.
 
The SS United States was a powerful Cold War weapon disguised as a luxury liner.  This great passenger ship transported many Americans to and from Europe and other destinations between 1952 and 1969.  She carried four U.S. presidents and countless military, diplomatic, and business leaders, celebrities and artists, and foreign heads of state, not to mention thousands of ordinary citizens and immigrants.  She still holds the world's speed record, set on her maiden voyage in 1952.

The ship's current owners listed the vessel for sale in February, 2009. While NCL graciously offered the Conservancy first right of refusal on the vessel's sale, the Conservancy has not been in a financial position to purchase the ship outright.  However, the Conservancy has been working diligently to lay the groundwork for a public-private partnership to save and sustain the ship for generations to come. 
 
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 its purchase in 2003 with the stated intention of returning the ship to seagoing service.  The Conservancy has maintained a positive working relationship with NCL over the past seven years and looks forward to ongoing collaboration during this critical period.
 
The Conservancy has begun discussions with NCL with the intent of covering some of the fees associated with maintaining the ship in Philadelphia so it can finalize plans for repurposing the ship as a stationary attraction at a large metropolitan waterfront.  The Conservancy's new national campaign is titled "Save Our Ship" (SOS) and offers a "Plank Owner" certificate for tax-deductible donations of at least $25 via its new donor website: Removed
 
. (For more information, see below.)
 
"This is both a patriotic and a practical effort," said Conservancy Executive Director Dan McSweeney, whose father emigrated from Scotland to America to serve as a crewmember aboard the vessel.  "We're absolutely committed to saving one of the most important symbols of America in the 20th century, but we're also talking about creating hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs when this ship is refurbished and becomes a stationary attraction in a large U.S. city.  We must save this irreplaceable American icon and continue the process of establishing a public-private partnership to re-purpose her."

[IRI5HJ4CK]

When was this issued? As far as I was aware, the terms of sale meant that she could not be sold for scrap, nor could she be sold to 'foreigners'?

[saltydog]

Perhaps America is only interested in preserving warships..

[Jammy]

Yes I thought the SS United States was not able to be scrapped as part of the contract with the original company? And for crying out loud when will this ship finally become something other than a rotting landmark? It's too good to be just left there or scrapped.

Perhaps America is only interested in preserving warships..

Or turning them into artificial reefs.

[Stuart2007]

You can place a tort in a contract (different countries call it different things, but usually similar principle) that is binding upon subsequent sales.

For example, person A makes that a condition before selling to person B

Person B sells to C and C and must honour the tort. However, this can be applied even if C wasn't aware of it.... This is how it can be protected... Oh dear, one problem.

Person C goes to a Court and says (in this example) "The keel is so badly rusted now, it is impractical to honour the tort. Here's the marine report to prove that." And the tort can then be overturned.

Never let contract law get in the way of a crafty lawyer.

[Jammy]

Is there any news article to back your reasonable theory up then Stuart? As I'm interested to why wasn't there any uproar to this if it's true.

[Stuart2007]

Oh no, that wasn't specifically relating to this case- it is just a general practice. I've been the victim of an un-declared tort by a seller and had to go to court to overturn it.

It happens quite a lot, but normally with buildings rather than ships.

[IRI5HJ4CK]

Still very surprised 'America' are letting her sit there rotting away...though

[Firestar]

When was this issued? As far as I was aware, the terms of sale meant that she could not be sold for scrap, nor could she be sold to 'foreigners'?

As Stu very well explained, this isn't always the case. Also, it's confirmed that NCL is collecting bids. It was issued yesterday by the SS United States conservancy.

[RMS Canada]

She must be saved! 

[Firestar]

That's what everyone says now, well they had a chance to donate 5 years ago, now that it's a bit more promising that she's sailing to a scrapyard, now they choose to help. Same with other ships.

[IRI5HJ4CK]

As Stu very well explained, this isn't always the case. Also, it's confirmed that NCL is collecting bids. It was issued yesterday by the SS United States conservancy.

Of course...Society is just as bent as it always was...No doubt someone will get some cash in pocket and it'll be all sorted. I was just saying that, particularly for America, and the Americans...they generally make their point well heard, and are generally always more than keen to defend it. But it seems something is a miss in this case with the United States.

I think its strange, and in fact, very unusual for 'America' to let her sit there...I would of thought, out of all nations on the planet, America would be the first to save the pride of their nation...

Jack.

[Firestar]

Ex-pride apparently it seems..

[clanky]

I guess there has to come a point where the cost of maintaining a ship outweighs whatever cultural or historic value that she has. Depending on what has been done in terms of maintenance to the hull (painting / renewal of anodes etc.) she could be in very bad condition structurally.

Although generally speaking ships like these were solidly built, I can't imagine anyone having this discussion about QM2 or QV 50 years from now.

[Firestar]

Just got this email today:

Dear SS United States Conservancy Members and Supporters:
 
The SS United States Conservancy continues to operate in a Red Alert "All Hands on Deck" mode as the clock ticks toward a possible sale to scrappers.  The Conservancy has learned that bids have been solicited from several scrap metal companies, and a decision could be made by her current owners, NCL/Genting, before the end of the month.

The Conservancy's S.O.S. (Save Our Ship) campaign is gaining momentum, but we need your help.  "We've seen an enormous groundswell of public support for the SS United States throughout the nation," said Conservancy Board President Susan Gibbs, whose grandfather, William Francis Gibbs, designed the vessel.  "We're modeling this campaign on the public subscription which saved the USS Constitution back in the 1920s through contributions of Americans from all walks of life.  There's a reason why this ship is still with us.  She absolutely must be saved for future generations."

The Conservancy's new three-minute video, SS United States: A Call to Arms
 
, quickly tells the story of the vessel's irreplaceable significance to our national heritage.  To watch, please click here
 
or on the image above.  The short film directs viewers to the Conservancy's website to make donations to our new Plank Owner fund-raising drive
 
.  In just forty-eight hours, the video has been viewed by nearly 1400 people, and the donations are coming in, but we need hundreds of thousands more people to see this film and contribute to the cause.  Time is of the essence, so we need this video to "go viral" as quickly as possible.  Please take a moment to watch, and then post it to your Facebook profile, send out a Tweet, and share it in an email with your friends, families, associates, and civic leaders.  We are truly down to the wire in our effort to save our national flagship, and we need everyone to act now.  To make a contribution to our Plank Owner program, click here
 
.

Please take action now!  We are closer than ever to seeing this national historic landmark destroyed.  There will never be another SS United States!
 
Sincerely,

The SS United States Conservancy's Board of Directors

[IRI5HJ4CK]

I'm still really surprised that the government hasn't gotten involved...Obviously Obama doesn't think she's as important as the rest of the war ships..!

We'll have to wait and see what happens, I guess....Though I thought eventually, something would have to give...because of her mooring fees.

Jack.

[Capt. Matt]

Shame things that have any "age" don't interest people anymore. wether it be boats, cars, or ships it was last "decades, or centuries" news 

[Firestar]

I'm still really surprised that the government hasn't gotten involved...Obviously Obama doesn't think she's as important as the rest of the war ships..!

We'll have to wait and see what happens, I guess....Though I thought eventually, something would have to give...because of her mooring fees.

Jack.

Obviously the fees must be affordable since she's been there so long. By the way Jack the government could care less. 'Why spend the money on something that isn't related to the recession?' Is what they think like. And I'm afraid it'll stay that way. Living in America is..interesting.

[The Ferry Man]

Obviously the fees must be affordable since she's been there so long. By the way Jack the government could care less. 'Why spend the money on something that isn't related to the recession?' Is what they think like. And I'm afraid it'll stay that way. Living in America is..interesting.

hence why America has cut its space rocket plans, and will be relying on piggybacks from other countries...

[IRI5HJ4CK]

Obviously the fees must be affordable since she's been there so long.

Do you realise how much it costs to moor a BOAT at a MARINA?

The reason that NCL want rid of her is exactly because of her mooring fees. She's been sat there for years, generating no profit. A load of business men in Norway/US will look at the numbers - and that's United States gone...Fancy paying $800,000, annually

Jack.

[Firestar]

It's their own fault. They could have made profit out of her when they had the chance. Now they don't.

[IRI5HJ4CK]

At the end of the day, it's all about whether the numbers are in their favour or not. NCL bought United States in the hope of restoring her and putting her to sea, however, i'd assume that they realised how much work was involved (money, too) and thus put her up for sale. The only reason why everything has been put on hold is because of the SSUS Conservation society. Other than that I think bids from scrappers would of been collected long ago. (And it wouldn't even surprise me if bids haven't already been collected previously).

Either way, even if they had of gone ahead with a restoration, it's probably quite likely that they'd end up selling her sometime in the future...rather than a conservation society who I assume would keep her for future generations to see her. At the end of the day, what it boils down to is money...and business.

Jack

[CaptainMike1]

Update today!!

http://maritimematters.com/2011/03/ss-united-states-in-miami/

[metman]

Of course, you could always ask the bankers for a donation - large - from their obscene bonuses......