Judge temporarily suspends deadline for SS United States to leave South Philadelphia dock
A judge temporarily suspended the deadline for the SS United States to leave its dock at Pier 82 in South Philadelphia. On Friday, the SS United States Conservancy said while progress was made during court-ordered mediation, the parties involved still needed time to come to "an amicable resolution."
According to a statement from the SS United States Conservancy, all parties involved, including the owners of the ship, operators of Pier 82 and Okaloosa County, Florida officials, participated in the confidential mediation Friday after the group's motion to extend the deadline to move the ship.
The conservancy's statement reads in part:
"The Conservancy's efforts in the days ahead will continue to center around conducting good faith negotiations and ensuring that the legacy of America's Flagship endures and inspires for future generations. We will continue to work tirelessly to chart the best possible forward course for the SS United States given the constraints placed upon us by this litigation."
Last month, a plan was revealed to sink the SS United States — a historic vessel and record-holder for the fastest transatlantic crossing — in the Gulf of Mexico and repurpose it as an artificial reef for divers.
A timeline for the foreseeable future was not provided by the conservancy.