Death knell prepared for famed SS United States

Originally commissioned by the United States government as North America’s response to rapid transatlantic travel, the SS United States has been locked in a fierce six-week legal battle between a dedicated Conservancy group and landlords Penn Warehousing.

The ongoing dispute centres around increased rent payments, with an imminent ruling expected from U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody. Ongoing discussions relating to the ship’s transformation as a mixed-use real estate destination – akin to Long Beach’s ex-Cunarder RMS Queen Mary – could provide a solution, but time is quickly running out.

Read more about SS United States

• SS United States: Why her preservation matters
• The incredible full story behind The Blue Riband
• The complete lowdown on SS United States' court battle

Why is SS United States in court?

A rental agreement between Penn Warehousing and The SS United States Conservancy was signed in 2011, with the cruise ship charged a day-to-day docking rate of $850. The daily rent doubled without prior warning to $1,700 in 2021, an increase of which the Conservancy has not financially acknowledged.

Having continued to pay the original rate stated in their contract, the Conservancy group reportedly owes over $731,000 (£576,000) in backdated rental payments. An attorney for SS United States contends that the hiked rent was never agreed upon, nor negotiated with the Conservancy, and was deliberately raised unilaterally.

Craig Mills, the attorney for Penn Warehousing, described the conservancy as unproblematic until landlords requested amendments to how the ship was secured in place, claiming that damage had been caused to the pier and bollards.

“They were every landlord’s nightmare,” Mills has been quoted, showcasing that the Conservancy refused to pay inflated rent, and would not leave when Penn Warehousing voided the lease agreement.

What happens if SS United States is evicted?

Should the judge rule in favour of Penn Warehousing, SS United States would have only a short time to find new moorings. If suitable accommodation was not forthcoming, the famed cruise ship would potentially face the breakers’ yard, or end life as an artificial reef. Terms of compensation would then need to be determined for repaying rent and legal fees.

“America’s Flagship”, a coveted Blue Riband holder, has remained a fixture on the Philadelphia skyline for nearly 30 years, making the ship’s likely future an emotional one among local residents and Conservancy members.

“If this ship is evicted, it would have to be scrapped or reefed,” Conservancy board member Warren Jones recently explained. “There is no alternative – given the size of the ship.”

Judge Brody has previously stated that there would “only be losers” in this case, if she had to decide between an eviction notice for SS United States or continued rental agreements from 2011’s signed contract.

The ship’s maiden voyage took place in 1951, but it’s quite clear her final trip – regardless of the outcome – will take place this year.