September 22, 2018
The Conservancy was honored to recently welcome a delegation from Rotterdam's Damen Ship Repair & Conversion to Philadelphia and New York.

At the meeting pictured here, Jeroen Heesters and Paul Ippel of Damen Ship Repair & Conversion joined Conservancy Executive Director Susan Gibbs and Conservancy Advisory Council member Casper van Hooren, former owner and developer of the SS Rotterdam, now a thriving hotel and mixed-use development, for a compelling discussion about the future of the irreplaceable SS United States.
Conservancy Executive Director Susan Gibbs and Advisory Council member Casper van Hooren with Jeroen Heesters and Paul Ippel of Damen Ship Repair & Conversion. 
Damen operates a network of sixteen repair and conversion yards worldwide and offers a range of services for the maintenance, repair, conversion and refit of vessels and offshore structures. The Conservancy was thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with Damen's experts as we continue to advance plans for the SS United States' own restoration and redevelopment.

Help Us Save America's Flagship!
From Long Island, New York, to Dundee, Scotland, America's iconic vessels are making their mark on history...
A deck chair from the SS United States on display at London's V&A earlier this year. Courtesy of the V&A .

The universally-acclaimed traveling exhibition " Ocean Liners: Speed and Style ," previously on display at London's V&A and at Salem, Massachusetts' Peabody Essex Museum, opened last week at V&A Dundee, a new branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum and Scotland's first dedicated design museum.

The exhibition highlights the world's greatest ocean liners, including the SS United States , as well as Scotland’s role in the design and development of a number of these extraordinary vessels.
"Ocean Liners" is an exhibition not to be missed — a review by The Telegraph raves: "It will satisfy those who yearn, nostalgically, for the glamour of a lost age. At the same time, it will sate those with an appetite for serious analysis of modern design." CLICK HERE to learn more & schedule your visit.
The Fireboat Fire Fighter Museum in Greenport, Long Island recently celebrated the William Francis Gibbs-designed vessel's 80th birthday with a variety of festivities — including a rechristening of the ship by Gibbs' granddaughter, SS United States Conservancy Executive Director Susan Gibbs.

The three-day birthday celebration included water displays by Fire Fighter in Greenport harbor, free tours of the vessel, fire department and Coast Guard demonstrations and the rechristening ceremony. 

Fire Fighter was active with the New York City Fire Department from 1938 to 2010, fighting over 50 major fires and leading the FDNY Marine Unit response on 9/11 by supplying water to emergency crews fighting fires at Ground Zero. 

CLICK HERE for more coverage of this special anniversary event , and to discover the history of Gibbs' brave Fire Fighter .
 Charlie Ritchie, President and Museum Director of the Fireboat Fire Fighter Museum, pictured alongside a portrait of ship designer William Francis Gibbs. Courtesy of Susan Gibbs.
Fire Fighter shows off during her 80th birthday celebration. Photograph courtesy of Jeremy Garretson for The Suffolk Times .
Susan Gibbs presents on the SS United States at the Peconic Landing Community Center in Greenport, Long Island. Photograph courtesy of Susan Gibbs.

On August 25th, Conservancy Executive Director Susan Gibbs presented on " The History and Preservation of America’s Flagship” at the Peconic Landing Community Center in Greenport, Long Island. 

The Conservancy extends our thanks to the many residents and supporters who attended, and to those who generously shared their own special memories of the SS United States.
As we work to secure a bright future for our nation's greatest and sole remaining ocean liner, the Conservancy is excited to continue to celebrate the Big U's singular legacy through our curatorial initiatives and educational outreach.  CLICK HERE to learn more about Gibbs' Peconic Landing talk.
“ The ship is magnificent, even in her current state. It is a tribute to her design and construction that the areas we saw appeared to be structurally pristine...I came away with a sense of wonder." — Kevin Goff, Atlanta, GA
First class style — thank you for ordering our newest, limited-edition SS United States t-shirt!
With a stunning design by the Conservancy's European Chapter Chair Mario Alvarez-Garcillán, our newest SS United States t-shirt proved to be an enormous hit!

With orders now closed, a total of $2,440 was raised via shirt sales, a sum that will contribute towards the vessel’s basic expenses as redevelopment plans advance.

These stylish shirts have already shipped — when yours arrives, don't forget to snap a shot of yourself or a family member representing America's Flagship! As always, you can send the Conservancy your photographs at [email protected].
The global movement to save the SS United States requires all hands on deck, and the Conservancy is continually inspired by the energy and initiative of our supporters!

Janet E. Lowry, Vice President of the Long Island Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society, recently arranged to distribute brochures highlighting the history and current plight of our nation's flagship at a West Sayville boat show, introducing the SS United States and the work of the Conservancy to a new audience of maritime enthusiasts.
The Long Island Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society recently distributed SS United States brochures in West Sayville, Long Island.
Janet and the Long Island Chapter serve as an inspiring model of how individuals and organizations of all sizes can play a crucial role in the fight to save the SS United States. Feeling inspired, but unsure of how you too can get involved? It's easy! CLICK HERE for a few ideas!
"[The SS United States ] was built at a time when 'made in America’ really meant something, and that is a legacy that cannot be lost.  — H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest (1930-2018)