S.S. United States is sold

According to sources the S.S. United States Conservancy has bought the S.S. United States from Norwegian Cruise Line for a reported $3 million.

The ship has been out of service since 1969 and has been the subject of much media attention and speculation as scrapping seemed to be the only option.

The classic liner was bought by Norwegian Cruise Line in 2003 with the intention of having her enter the Hawaii market, however after numerous studies and refit plans the cruise line decided against it and she has been in Philadelphia since.

Now, the Conservancy has bought the historic liner and are looking into making it part of a waterfront developed in Philadelphia. Reports claim the group is also in talks with developers in Miami and New York. Sources say the current berthing space in Philadelphia agreement is good for another 20 months.

S.S. United States was built in 1952 for the United States Lines designed to capture the trans-Atlantic speed record.

She was built at a cost of $78 million, the ship is the largest ocean liner constructed entirely in the United States, the fastest ocean liner to cross the Atlantic in either direction, and even in her retirement retains the Blue Riband given to the passenger liner crossing the Atlantic Ocean in regular service with the record highest speed.