A court challenge appears to be brewing over the fate of the record-holding retired passenger liner SS United States, America's last super-liner. This year, the historic ship celebrated its 75th anniversary, marking a major milestone in its storied history. However, its future remains uncertain, as it is now scheduled to depart for Mobile on February 19, where it is slated to be transitioned for purposes of sinking to become an artificial reef — the world’s largest.
Historic preservationists, attorneys and citizen activists in New York, Philadelphia, Montgomery and Arizona are organizing to file suit to enjoin the dismantling and sinking of the ship.
The suit would previously have been heard in Pennsylvania, where the ship had been docked and decaying for 30 years at the Port of Philadelphia. Now, the ship is scheduled to be in Mobile for the next 12 months, and the venue for a federal suit would likely be in the Southern District of Alabama.
If things go unchallenged, the SS United States will be transitioned into an artificial reef. That means it will be sunk in the Gulf of America, with holes cut into its hull to allow water to flow into the vessel.
Notably, the SS United States was designed with the intention of not sinking or catching fire, making its proposed fate as an artificial reef all the more ironic.
However, concerns have been raised about the fate of the historic artifacts onboard. According to reports, plans are to remove the remaining historically significant artifacts, including the iconic funnels, radar mast and bridge equipment, prior to the ship's sinking.
Environmental concerns have been raised about the potential impact of the ship's sinking on marine life and water quality.
There are concerns that the removal of historically significant artifacts may be in violation of historic preservation laws.
The 1950s-1960s super-liner is expected to dock in Mobile in about two weeks. The plan is for contractors in Mobile to remove from the ship all non-metal and materials potentially hazardous to the Gulf of America. Some 200 workers are expected to work on the ship over the next year.
Okaloosa County, Florida paid $1 million for ownership of the ship and is expected to shell out about $10 million more for the conversion work, funded by Florida taxpayer tourism dollars.
Florida dollars coming to Alabama.
The plan does not sit well with members of the community and preservationists who want to see the ship preserved and docked where it can become a museum, historic attraction, or a vibrant hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.
The 'SS United States Conservancy,' the ship's previous owner, sold the vessel to Okaloosa County and has publicly encouraged the community to support the ship's transition to an artificial reef, calling it the "Next Chapter for America's Flagship."
One alternative plan is similar to what has been done at the USS Alabama Battleship Park.
The New York Coalition to Save the SS United States, along with other preservation groups and community members, are fighting to save the ship from being sunk in the Gulf of America.
The SS United States was built with its keel laid down in 1949 and completed in 1951. It made its maiden voyage in 1952.
It set the transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage using only about two-thirds of its power. The record still stands.
The ship transported notables — presidents, Congress members, Hollywood stars, heads of state—as well as tourists, members of the armed forces and immigrants between New York City and Southampton, England.
The fight to save the ship includes John Quadrozzi, Jr., owner of the Gowanus Bay Terminal in Red Hook, located on a Peninsula jutting into the Upper New York Bay. He has proposed that the ship be purchased from Okaloosa County.
Quadrozzi says the ship could be re-imagined as a thriving incubator for small businesses, utilizing renewable energy sources and clean technologies, and serving as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Supporters of the alternative plans cite similar ships, such as the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, and the Queen Elizabeth II in Dubai, and the Rotterdam in the Netherlands. These ships have been successfully repurposed as floating hotels or tourist and historical attractions.
The New York Coalition to Save the SS United States is a last-ditch effort to prevent the ship from being dismantled and sunk.
The Coalition’s legal arguments include that Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act precludes the historic vessel from being destroyed without a public hearing and consideration of alternatives.
Research by 1819 News indicates that there are three ways that the ship could be saved and restored:
The Coalition or other plaintiffs could obtain a federal injunction against the dismantling and sinking.
The Coalition or others could negotiate with Okaloosa County to acquire the ship and preserve it.
Congress could pass legislation to save the ship or the Trump administration could take executive action.
The SS United States has been recognized as a National Registered Historic Place since 1999.
Time is running out, and the fate of the SS United States hangs in the balance.
Will this historic ship be preserved for future generations, or will it become an artificial reef?
A battle is brewing.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler writes about Alabama’s people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler writes about Alabama’s people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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