a ship in the ocean
The SS United States, bound for its final resting place off Florida, where it is supposed to be sunk as an artificial reef.

For decades, Susan Gibbs tried to save the ship that her grandfather designed, raising millions through the SS United States Conservancy to keep the SS United States afloat while a plan was hatched to restore the historic ship to her former glory.

But earlier this year, Gibbs had to finally give up her dream of saving the holder of the Blue Riband—the record for the fastest crossing of the North Atlantic—and the rusting hulk of the massive ocean liner was towed from her longtime berth in Philadelphia to Mobile, Alabama, so she could be stripped of any environmental hazards and then be sunk in the Gulf waters to become an artificial reef.

a woman standing next to a sign
Susan Gibbs, the granddaughter of designer William Gibbs, says the iconic ship was the “great love” of her grandfather’s life.
Photo by BJ Nixon

The ship’s fate seemed sealed, but as the vessel was towed south, the story went viral and more people became aware of the SS United States’ history. Now a new group has been formed to keep her from being sunk in a renewed effort to save her.

As the SS United States is undergoing the de-contamination process in Mobile, a group known as The New York Coalition to Save the SS United States is working to turn her into a maritime museum. The ship is scheduled to be towed to sea and scuttled in less than a year, so time is of the essence.

a large ship in the water
The SS United States as she was towed south to Alabama. Photo by Tom Serio

Authorities in Mobile report that the presence of the ship has drawn significant interest from visitors to the city. The New York Coalition to Save the SS United States thinks the ship could be turned into a museum or a hotel, similar to the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California.

You can read more about it here.