An SOS is ringing out from the SS United States in South Philadelphia, which needs to find a new home by September. And if its stewards don’t find a new berth for the vessel, the “Queen of the Seas” may ultimately head to the scrap pile.
A yearslong dispute between the SS United States Conservancy and its landlord at Pier 82 — where the ship has been posted since 1996 — ended June 14, with a federal judge giving the ship’s stewards 90 days to vacate the premises.
With the clock ticking, the conservancy launched an urgent fundraising campaign Thursday to raise half a million dollars that would help cover moving expenses. The 1,000-foot-long vessel is incapable of self-propulsion, so a move would require tug boats in addition to insurance and other dock preparations.
CLICK HERE to read the full story in The Philadelphia Inquirer.