Australian billionaire Clive Palmer, 69, announced the construction of a replica of the Titanic.
The ship is to be "much better than the original," combining the beauty of the iconic transatlantic liner with safety and state-of-the-art technology. Although this is not Palmer's first attempt, the billionaire assures that this approach will be successful. He also revealed when Titanic II is scheduled to start its first voyage.
The plan to build Titanic II was presented by the Australian billionaire and mining magnate during an appearance at the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday, March 13. Clive Palmer announced that his company, Blue Star Line, would build a ship with exactly the same interior and cabin layout as the original. But it is not everything!
Titanic II: Beauty, safety and modern technologies
The ship will also be equipped with the latest safety procedures, navigation methods and 21st century technology. "We want to provide passengers with the highest level of luxury and comfort," Palmer said.
The Australian billionaire first announced the construction of a replica of the Titanic almost 10 years ago. At that time, it was supposed to be made in China and set off on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York in 2016. Later, these plans were postponed to 2018. Further delays were related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, the project has not come to fruition so far. Why should it be any different now?
Building a ship can cost up to a billion dollars!
Palmer says he was able to raise significantly more funding. "It's a lot more fun to build the Titanic than to sit at home and count money," he said at a press conference.
Clive Palmer assures that he will manage to secure the shipyard (and together it will be a shipyard in Europe) where Titanic II will be built. Work is scheduled to start in early 2025, and the first cruise is scheduled for June 2027.
Tenders for the construction of the ship are to be announced in June this year, and contracts signed in December. The entire project is expected to cost between $500 million and $1 billion. Will the mining magnate finally manage to fulfill his plans? Will Titanic II prove to be as legendary as the original? Time will tell.
How the first Titanic ship ended
The RMS Titanic sank on April 15, 1912. During its maiden voyage across the Atlantic from Southampton to New York, it hit an iceberg and in an instant the wonderful voyage turned into a nightmare. As a result of the disaster, approximately 1,500 passengers and crew died.
The story of this ocean liner became legendary thanks to James Cameron's film, which premiered in 1997. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet played the roles of tragic lovers Jack and Rose. Palmer, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, said Jack and Rose's love story "touches everyone's hearts."
"We hope that Titanic will act as a catalyst to revitalise some of our values and hopefully lead to peace," said the Australian billionaire.
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This article was originally published on Fakt.