Dear SS United States Supporter: 

As you are aware, the Conservancy and the SS United States' landlord, Penn Warehousing, have been engaged in a legal dispute since they doubled the ship’s rent in Philadelphia without notice during the coronavirus pandemic and subsequently demanded that the vessel be removed from the pier. From the Conservancy's inception, we have been doing everything possible to protect and save this irreplaceable and iconic symbol of American history. To date, we have not been able to resolve this dispute, and we are now sharing that the organization will be heading to court this week. 

The trial is scheduled to begin at 10:00am ET tomorrow, Wednesday, January 17, at the James A. Byrne U.S. Courthouse in Philadelphia and it will be open to the public. It will likely last two days. For those in the Philadelphia area who are interested in showing their support, feel free to respectfully attend. Please reach out to us at info@ssusc.org for more information and courtroom guidelines.

We have issued the following statement on this threat to the future of America's Flagship. Thank you for your continued support and passion for saving the SS United States. We are profoundly grateful.

NONPROFIT OWNER OF AMERICA’S FLAGSHIP – THE SS UNITED STATES – HEADS TO TRIAL IN EFFORT TO SAVE SYMBOL OF THE NATION

Litigation will proceed this week in federal court that could determine the fate of the famed vessel

PHILADELPHIA, PA – The SS United States Conservancy, the national nonprofit organization that owns and safeguards America’s Flagship, the SS United States, is in litigation over a rent dispute with the vessel’s landlord, Penn Warehousing. A bench trial is set to begin tomorrow in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, and today the Conservancy released the following statement:

“The Conservancy regrets that its rent dispute with Penn Warehousing is going to trial. Our first priority is the safety and security of this irreplaceable symbol of America. The SS United States was designed by Philadelphia native William Francis Gibbs to be the fastest and safest ocean liner ever to sail. On her maiden voyage, she reached record-breaking speeds that have never been surpassed in scheduled passenger travel. She served as an American ambassador to the world, and we will continue to defend the ship and the public interest in protecting a key part of our nation’s history from destruction.”

“As an organization we will continue to work tirelessly to advance the preservation and redevelopment of the SS United States as a world-class destination and museum. At a time when Philadelphia plans to celebrate our country’s 250th birthday and draw people from around the world for the FIFA World Cup in 2026, the loss of the SS United States should be unimaginable.”

“The Conservancy recently released a transformational redevelopment plan for America’s Flagship that would create thousands of new jobs, attract visitors from across the country and around the globe, and potentially generate millions in annual tax revenue. It is a visionary project, commercially viable and capable of substantially benefiting Philadelphia, New York or other port cities.”

“The Penn Warehousing trial places the ship in grave danger. We hope that Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro, Philadelphia Mayor Parker, PhilaPort officials, and other leaders throughout this country will recognize the economic potential and national historic significance of the SS United States. Joined by our thousands of proud supporters across the nation and around the globe, we look to government leaders to assist with our ongoing efforts to relocate the ship to a different temporary or permanent location.”

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