The SS United States Conservancy revealed this week that it entered into an agreement with New York-headquartered RXR Realty to explore options for the revival of the 53,000-gt former transatlantic liner United States (built 1952).
The Conservancy, a non-profit charity, has owned the famous ship since acquiring it from Norwegian Cruise Line in 2011.
Under the agreement just signed, RXR Realty will spend the next few months determining the viability of the ship’s redevelopment and will explore a range of potential locations to permanently moor the historic vessel.
The real-estate giant, which currently manages 69 commercial real estate properties and investments with an aggregate gross asset value of approximately $18.1bn, will be paying a substantial portion of the ship’s lay-up and maintenance costs during the option period.
It will assemble a team to assess the vessel's interior spaces with a view to make the ship part of a waterfront real-estate development.
"The SS United States is one of America's great vessels and an icon of American engineering and design," RXR Realty said.
"Given our history of repurposing and updating some of this country's most historic structures, we are now working with the SS United States Conservancy to explore what options might exist for the ship, going forward."
The steam-powered United States became famous on its maiden voyage in 1952 when it crossed the Atlantic at 35.5 knots, covering the 5,380 kilometres (3,363 miles) between New York and Bishop Rock, off Cornwall, England, in a mere 3.5 days.
Its 3.5-day return to the US at an average speed of 34.5 knots earned it the coveted Blue Riband speed trophy, given for the speed record on the harder westbound leg.
Also designed for potential use as a troopship during times of war, the ship’s top speed of 38.32 knots was an official secret for several decades.
High fuel costs and an expensive and militant US crew forced the ship out of service in 1969. It then passed through several owners that all had resurrection plans that came to nothing, thus earning the ship yet another record — that of the longest laid-up passengership.
It is currently tied up in Philadelphia.
The most recent proposal the restore the ship came from Genting Hong Kong’s Crystal Cruises, which hoped to rebuild it as a US-flagged cruiseship.
Crystal backed out of the plan in August 2016 claiming that while the vessel was structurally sound, the cost of restoring it was economically unfeasible.
