The SS United States Conservancy is requesting more time to complete the relocationof the SS United States from its current berth in Philadelphia.

According to a press release, the not-for-profit organization filed a motion with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, requesting an extension of the deadline to move the vessel from September 12, 2024, until December 5, 2024.

On June 12, 2024, concluding a legal dispute over the pier’s rent, U.S. District Court Senior Judge Anita Brody ruled that the vessel leave its current berth, giving the Conservancy a 90-day notice.

“While we are doing everything possible to meet the court’s deadline, some factors are beyond the Conservancy’s control. We respect the court’s attempt to come to an equitable decision, and we appreciate how challenging it is to determine the fate of one of the nation’s most historic and iconic symbols,” stated Conservancy President Susan Gibbs.

“However, factors including this year’s intense Atlantic hurricane season forecast and the extensive technical preparations associated with the ship’s tow require some additional time to safely implement,” she added.

According to the Conservancy, potential temporary and permanent berths in Philadelphia continue to be explored “aggressively” while the ship is prepared to leave its current pier safely.

In the motion for partial reconsideration, however, the organization said that, while the Court’s Order is grounded in sound judgment and equity, it overlooks critical evidence in the record regarding the complex and time-consuming nature of moving the SS United States.

“As a result, (the Court) issued a judgment with a removal window that is inequitably short…As documented during the trial… there are numerous regulatory, environmental, logistical, and engineering challenges that must be overcome to safely (and legally) move a vessel as large as the SS United States that has not operated under her own power in decades,” the motion states.

The group also said that, even if the ship were to be moved for sinking or scrapping, a safe removal could take longer than 90 days.

“The Conservancy has also been in discussion with metal recycling companies (a/k/a “scrappers”) and Florida state government officials who are interested in sinking the ship as an artificial reef should a temporary dock not be located. But these entities will face the same technical challenges mentioned above,” the motion states.

“As was affirmed in open court, the Conservancy has been a model tenant, always paying rent in a timely fashion and operating in good faith. We continue to meet our financial obligations to our landlord,” said Conservancy Board member Warren Jones, a former SS United States passenger who is leading the search for a temporary dock.

“Relocating a 990-foot-long ocean liner is complex and costly. We are simply asking for a reasonable extension to ensure the Conservancy can investigate all suitable and available locations and prepare the ship for a move before being compelled to reef or scrap the historic vessel, an outcome supporters across the nation and around the world have worked hard to avoid.”

“The Conservancy has been actively exploring potential temporary docks in the Philadelphia area and along the East Coast. We have also been engaging in targeted outreach to federal and state officials, regional port authorities, maritime associations, and the U.S. Navy for help in identifying suitable and available berths. Those conversations are ongoing and continue to be productive,” Jones added.

Following the Court’s ruling last month, the Conservancy launched an urgent campaign to help save the 1952-built former ocean liner. To date, the effort has raised more than $100,000 to cover urgent expenses, the organization stated.