The SS United States Conservancy said its board has voted to retain a broker to explore selling the ship to a responsible recycler, unless a donor or investor emerges.
"The conservancy has never been closer to saving the SS United States, nor so close to losing her," the group said.
The 38,200-gt United States (built 1952) was constructed by United States Lines as part of a top-secret, US government-subsidised project to build the world's fastest passenger liner.
