O/T Maritime History SS United States

EJ Berry · **Posted:** Mon Mar 03, 2025 8:08 pm

SS United States arrived Mobile Monday morning March 3, 2025, two days early.

Here's an official statement:

“In the spirit of her record-breaking history, America’s Flagship concluded her journey from Philadelphia to Mobile faster than anticipated. As she moved through the waves for the first time in 28 years, countless onlookers and admirers along the country’s eastern seaboard were inspired by her majesty and beauty," said SS United States Conservancy president Susan Gibbs in a statement on the ship's 401st voyage."

Phil Mulligan

Ed Kapuscinski · **Posted:** Wed Mar 05, 2025 9:28 pm

I saw this excellent commemorative shirt while scrolling the IG.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DGlIBDlx3C- ... Z4cWxuejB6

seth4404 · **Joined:** Sun Aug 04, 2013 10:39 pm **Posts:** 32

Overmod wrote:

Someone contributed $4.4 million to stabilize the ship. The entire amount was frittered away with nothing to show for it. I would have thought that for that amount you could buy a proper pier and conduct any care to stabilize the submerged portion of the hull 'in perpetuity'. Then figure out how to fund the tourist attractions, onboard hotels, etc. etc. etc. (see perhaps what was done at Sears Crosstown in Memphis as an illustration...)

I confess I'd thought by now at least one 'millionaire' would have jumped on subsidizing the completion of T1 5150. That hasn't happened either.

4.4 million would not make a dent in this ship. The Jeremiah O'Brien spends $1.3 million to pull the ship out for 30 days, high pressure wash the ship, and paint the hull, as well as various hull thickness inspections. Then there was $60 grand to clean the bilges , $150 grand in bulkhead repairs. That was in the course of one year and doesn't include the yet to be done $1.5 million in cleaning, blasting, and coating of the internal tanks. That ship must be a third of this size of this ship and has had regular maintenance done since 79'.

I said if I had the budget of the Texas, I could have made the ship brand new and sailed it around the world with a paid crew a couple times over. Alas, stationary big guns are more interesting than a fully operational tramper.

rjenkins · **Posted:** Sat Mar 08, 2025 6:26 pm

seth4404 wrote:

Overmod wrote:

Someone contributed $4.4 million to stabilize the ship. The entire amount was frittered away with nothing to show for it. I would have thought that for that amount you could buy a proper pier and conduct any care to stabilize the submerged portion of the hull 'in perpetuity'. Then figure out how to fund the tourist attractions, onboard hotels, etc. etc. etc. (see perhaps what was done at Sears Crosstown in Memphis as an illustration...)

I confess I'd thought by now at least one 'millionaire' would have jumped on subsidizing the completion of T1 5150. That hasn't happened either.

4.4 million would not make a dent in this ship.

The 4.4 million was just to cover the first few years of dock rent in Philadelphia after the SS United States Conservancy took ownership of the vessel. Agreed, it would not have gone far towards getting any meaningful restoration work done.

Dave Lewandoski · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 5:58 pm **Posts:** 1083

Battleship New Jersey spent $10 Million in her drydocking last year. Clean and paint the hull, some metal repair, and the move to and from drydock.

mmi16 · **Joined:** Thu Oct 24, 2019 11:05 pm **Posts:** 198

rjenkins wrote:

seth4404 wrote:

Overmod wrote:

Someone contributed $4.4 million to stabilize the ship. The entire amount was frittered away with nothing to show for it. I would have thought that for that amount you could buy a proper pier and conduct any care to stabilize the submerged portion of the hull 'in perpetuity'. Then figure out how to fund the tourist attractions, onboard hotels, etc. etc. etc. (see perhaps what was done at Sears Crosstown in Memphis as an illustration...)

I confess I'd thought by now at least one 'millionaire' would have jumped on subsidizing the completion of T1 5150. That hasn't happened either.

4.4 million would not make a dent in this ship.

The 4.4 million was just to cover the first few years of dock rent in Philadelphia after the SS United States Conservancy took ownership of the vessel. Agreed, it would not have gone far towards getting any meaningful restoration work done.

Ships - all of them - are holes in the water into which you pour money, lots and lots of money. If the vessels perform work you may generate enough income to maintain the vessel and possibly get a small profit. In the case of the vessel in question, cubic yards of money would be required to make the vessel operational in any way.

choodude · **Joined:** Wed Jun 29, 2016 11:58 am **Posts:** 327

A table listing income while the United States was in service:

https://old.reddit.com/r/Oceanlinerporn ... _19551969/

mfmalk · **Joined:** Wed Feb 17, 2010 8:39 am **Posts:** 121

The first photo in the included gallery link is not mine; from the Internet the SS United States arriving at Pier 86, West Side Manhattan in 1957.

My images show the ship moored at Pier 82 in Philadelphia on 7/21/24, and then under tow in the Delaware River on 2/19/25.

Still commanding and majestic while taking its final bow to a long gone era, reminding us of her former beauty and grace.

Matthew

https://www.losttracksoftime.com/p47324941