Today, the SS United States Conservancy purchased the S.S. United States from Norwegian Cruise Line.  As we posted last July, the sale was made possible by a reported $5.8 million pledge by Philadelphia philanthropist H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest.   The sale was delayed  when the Environmental Protection Agency raised questions about toxic PCBs on the ship.

Conservancy purchases SS United States through grant from Lenfest Foundation

Lenfest underscored the importance of the ship by stating, “She is worth keeping. This ship is an iconic part of American maritime history and if there’s any chance at all that she can be saved, we should take that chance.” Lenfest is a retired Navy Reserve captain and major maritime enthusiast whose father, a naval architect, designed components of the SS United States. He has been a visionary in his support for the ship.

“This is the first time in the history of the SS United States that a group concerned primarily with the vessel’s historical significance and preservation has owned her,” said Dan McSweeney, the Conservancy’s executive director. “We can’t truly say she’s saved yet – that will happen when we establish a successful partnership to redevelop the ship – but we can say that we’re generating the right momentum to be able to achieve that goal. Thus far, New York, Philadelphia, and Miami have expressed an interest in the vessel. The total cost could be a couple of hundred million dollars but that’s comparable to land-based development on a similar scale. We’re completely committed to accomplishing this and there’s no question that we’ll succeed.”