Clive Palmer Titanic II
Drawing parallels between the two versions, Palmer further added that, the design for his Titanic will more or less be similar to the original ship, with, of course, a dash of modern technology added.
The original Titanic was not only considered to be the biggest ship of its time, but also probably the most luxurious one. The plan, therefore, is for Palmer’s vessel to be every bit as luxurious as the original version. The technology, it goes without saying, would be up-to-date and at par with the latest in safety and navigation systems.
The similarities between the Titanic and its 21st Century replica, however, do not end here. The new vessel, scheduled to sail in late 2016 will chart almost the same ill-fated route as its predecessor (London-New York). That the chances of ice-bergs floating about in the warm North Atlantic waters of 2016 remain bleak is a different story though.
The Titanic in 1912 was the most expensive ship ever built by mankind. Such is the craze for titanic 100 years after it sank, that all Titanic memorabilia that went on auctions, were sold off for record breaking prices. The cost of construction, according to the mining baron, is not known yet. All said and done, at the end of the day but, it all boils down to that one big question- what if Titanic II meets the same fate as the 1912 White Star Line original? “Of course, it will sink if you put a hole in it” quipped Mr. Palmer. As long as there aren’t any, we are not complaining either.
Weeks after the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the original Titanic, Clive Palmer announced Monday he has signed a memorandum of understanding with state-owned Chinese company CSC Jinling Shipyard to build the Titanic II.
"It will be every bit as luxurious as the original Titanic, but ... will have state-of-the-art 21st-century technology and the latest navigation and safety systems," Palmer said in a statement. He called the project "a tribute to the spirit of the men and women who worked on the original Titanic".
More than 1,500 people died after the Titanic hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic on its first voyage. It was the world's largest and most luxurious ocean liner at the time.
Palmer built a fortune on real estate on Australia's Gold Coast tourist strip before becoming a coal mining magnate. BRW magazine reported he was Australia's fifth-richest person last year with more than AU$5 billion.
Palmer said at a news conference that previous attempts to build a Titanic replica failed because proponents failed to raise enough money and commission a shipyard. The Titanic II is the first of four luxury cruise ships Palmer has commissioned CSC Jinling Shipyard to build.
Palmer did not provide a cost estimate. He said he had established a new shipping company, Blue Star Line Pty Ltd, and that design work for the Titanic II has begun with assistance from a historical research team.
The diesel-powered ship will have four smoke stacks like the coal-powered original, but they will be purely decorative.
The most obvious changes from the original Titanic would be below the water line, including welding rather than rivets, a bulbous bow for greater fuel efficiency and enlarged rudder and bow thrusters for increased manoeuvrability, Palmer said.
Brett Jardine, general manager for Australia and New Zealand in the industry group International Cruise Council, said Titanic II would be small by modern standards but could prove viable at the top end of the luxury market.
"From a marketing point of view, many will embrace it and perhaps there'll be some that wouldn't," Jardine said.
"If you've got a niche, it's going to work. Why go out there and try to compete with the mass market products that are out there now?" he added.
While the Titanic II would carry around 1,680 passengers, most modern cruise ships create economies of scale by catering for more than 2,000 passengers, he said.
Among the world's largest passenger ships, Allure of the Seas is 90m longer than the 270m Titanic and has 2,700 cabins.
The Titanic leaves Southampton on her ill-fated maiden voyage (Picture: AFP)
Chinese state-owned company CSC Jinling Shipyard will be behind the project with a historical research team aiding with the design.
Speaking to Australian media, Mr Palmer said: 'It will be every bit as luxurious as the original Titanic but of course it will have state-of-the-art 21st Century technology and the latest navigation and safety systems.'
'It is going to be designed so it won't sink,' he added. 'But, of course, if you are superstitious... you never know what could happen.'The announcement comes shortly after the 100 year anniversary of the date the original Titanic sank.
More than 1,500 people died when the supposedly unsinkable ship hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage on April 15th 1912.
Weeks after the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the cruise liner, Clive Palmer said he had signed a memorandum of understanding with state-owned Chinese company CSC Jinling Shipyard to build the Titanic II.
Mr Palmer said: 'It will be every bit as luxurious as the original Titanic, but... will have state-of-the-art 21st-century technology and the latest navigation and safety systems.''Tribute': Australian billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer (pictured) has unveiled plans to build a full-scale replica of Titanic, called Titanic II, which he hopes will make its maiden voyage from England to New York, as the original did, in 2016Doomed: Titanic leaves Southampton on her ill-fated journey across the Atlantic on April 10, 1912. Mr Palmer says his version of the cruise liner will have the very latest in navigation and safety technology
He called the project 'a tribute to the spirit of the men and women who worked on the original Titanic.'
More than 1,500 people died after the Titanic hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic on its first voyage in 1912.
Before it set sail, it was heralded as the world's largest, most luxurious and safest ocean liner.
Various events were held to mark the anniversary earlier this month, including a memorial cruise which carried more than 1,500 passengers, some of whom had direct links with the doomed liner, to the very spot where it sank
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