Australia: Clive Palmer, the Australian billionaire, has relaunched the project to build Titanic II, a replica of the ill-fated ship that sank in 1912 with more than 2,200 people on board.
Palmer held a press conference to announce that his vision of building a scale replica of the doomed ocean liner would finally become a reality. The Australian billionaire promised his company, Blue Star Line, would build the ‘ship of love and the ultimate in style and luxury.’ This project was first launched by Palmer in 2012.
Clive Palmer involved in various activities since serving as a federal MP. He deregistered and then revived a political party, and spent millions on legal challenges, tourism ventures, and expensive election campaigns.
The construction of Titanic II was halted in 2015 due to a payment dispute between one of Palmer’s companies and the Chinese company Citic, which caused a shortage of funds. However, Palmer announced the project’s resumption in 2018, with a new proposed sailing date of 2022.
According to Clive Palmer, COVID-19 caused the delay of the Titanic II project, stating that people should trust him now because “I’ve got more money now.” Palmer exuded confidence in his statements.
The Australian politician claimed that he could secure a shipyard in time for construction to start next year on the vessel, with the ship’s maiden voyage from Southampton to New York – replicating the ill-fated 1912 voyage of the original, scheduled for June 2027.
The billionaire mentioned that tenders for construction would be released in June, with contracts signed by December. He estimated that the 56,000-tonne ship would cost between $500 million and $1 billion. “The Finnish-based ship design and marine engineering company Deltamarin was among the companies that supported the project,” Palmer added.
Palmer mentioned that he hired some of the best cruise ship designers in the world for this project. The new vessel would feature the same interior and cabin layout as the original Titanic, complete with a ballroom, swimming pool, and Turkish baths.
The video about the RMS Titanic showcased its technical specifications and featured CGI animations of people in early 1900s attire. The ship sank on its maiden voyage in 1912, resulting in the deaths of around 1,500 passengers and crew. The story was popularised by James Cameron’s 1997 hit film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
Clive Palmer remarked that, “Jack and Rose’s love story was one that touches the hearts of everybody. The Titanic II we hope can act as a catalyst to reinvigorate some of those values that we’ve got, which will hopefully lead to peace.”
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