The SS United States Conservancy said its board has voted to retain a broker to explore selling the ship to a responsible recycler, unless a donor or investor emerges.
"The conservancy has never been closer to saving the SS United States, nor so close to losing her," the group said.
The 38,200-gt United States (built 1952) was constructed by United States Lines as part of a top-secret, US government-subsidised project to build the world's fastest passenger liner.
The vessel has been docked on the Delaware River at Philadelphia since 1996 as the conservancy has sought to preserve it and find it a permanent home.
