Built by Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company
Length Overall:
990 feet
Width:
101 feet
Draught:
31 feet
Gross Tonnage:
53,330
Displacement:
47,300 at maximum draft
Career:
July 3, 1952-1969
The S.S. United States - The Fastest of Them All
The S.S. United States is one of the greatest Atlantic liners of all time. Built by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company, she was the brainchild of William Francis Gibbs. Gibbs had distinguished himself in the post-war renovation and restoration of the ex-German liner Vaterland for service with the United States Lines as the American liner Leviathan. His reputation was further bolstered with the S.S. America, a fresh take on steamship design. Entering passenger service in 1940, she was the Leviathan's successor as flagship of the United States Lines, and was a remarkable vessel. But Gibbs' next great liner was to be his masterpiece, and she was called the S.S. United States.
Designed not only to be the flagship of the United States Lines, she was also purpose-built to be the fastest ship in the world. Entering service in July of 1952, she easily took the Blue Riband from the Queen Mary with an average speed of 35.59 knots. Her maximum speed was reportedly 38.3 knots, although there have been rumors over the years that she was able to attain even better speeds than that.
She remained in service even as the jetliner took precedence in carrying passengers across the Atlantic, but eventually the cold hard numbers caught up with her. In 1969, she was laid up, finally being sold in 1978. She changed hands numerous times, eventually being purchased by Norwegian Cruise Lines in 2003. The company had dreams of returning her to service, but the plan began to experience trouble all too quickly.
All of the ship's fittings, considered so luxurious in the 1950's, were removed, as was the asbestos which had been built into her. The ship has idled in Philadelphia for years, slowly deteriorating, an all but forgotten relic with a dismal future. However, some United States enthusiasts have made strenuous efforts to preserve the liner. They have envisioned returning her to service or converting her into a floating hotel and tourist attraction; either of these visions, if properly executed, could both preserve a national treasure and turn a tidy profit for investors. However, as of early March, 2010, the great liner was put up for sale yet again. Bids were allegedly being taken by scrappers. Unless something is done to preserve the ship, she will fall to the cutters' torches just as the Norway did a few years ago.
Follow these links to help save the S.S. United States:
This photograph shows the S.S. United States at her dock in Philadelphia in April of 2010.
Although her paint is badly rusted and fading, her hull is apparently still quite sound, and
her engines are frequently "turned over" to keep them in good operating condition. Hopes still run
high as of early April 2010 that the liner can be saved.
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She remained in service even as the jetliner took precedence in carrying passengers across the Atlantic, but eventually the cold hard numbers caught up with her. In 1969, she was laid up, finally being sold in 1978. She changed hands numerous times, eventually being purchased by Norwegian Cruise Lines in 2003. The company had dreams of returning her to service, but the plan began to experience trouble all too quickly.
