We may be able to relive the route of the Titanic starting in 2022. Here’s all you need to know about the proposed Titanic II replica.
107 years after the infamous ‘unsinkable ship’ departed from the shores of Belfast in 1912, one of history’s most famous ships is to be rebuilt and is giving you the chance to experience its planned voyage.
The RMS Titanic, built in Belfast, Northern Ireland, between 1910 and 1912, sank on the morning of 15 April 1912, engulfed in the North Atlantic sea as it approached its destination in New York City, USA.
Now, Australian billionaire Clive Palmer wants to rebuild the ship with his ambitious Titanic II project and is seeking to set sail from 2022.
Titanic II project
The new Titanic II project is set to be a functional, modern-day replica cruise liner of the original Titanic. The new ship is to be slightly larger than the original and was announced in 2012.
The interior of the ship is to be authentically recreated to resemble the original Titanic, and is to include more modern and effective life-saving equipment, such as a larger stock of life boats on board. Original restaurants and amenities will also be a feature of the new ship.
Much like the original, Titanic II is to be split by first-, second-, and third-class accommodations, with the berths intended to be authentic replicas.
The ship’s maiden voyage
The original Titanic ship set sail from Southampton, England, on 10 April 1912, with New York City as its destination.
The new ship will set sail from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, but like its predecessor a century ago, the ship is due to dock in New York City.
After this, the Titanic II will make its way from New York City to Southampton before embarking on regular trips from Southampton to New York and back, just as the original Titanic was intended to do.
Anti-iceberg measures
The original Titanic ship was downed by an iceberg in the Atlantic sea, leading to the deaths of 1,500 people, the images of which are now memorialised in people’s minds following the Titanic film.
While ice is much less of a threat today, the new ship has updated beyond its predecessor. The new ship will have a wielded hull instead of a riveted one for greater durability, while it is wider to increase its stability.
Setbacks
Unfortunately, Palmer’s plan has been ravaged by numerous setbacks and delays. The cruise liner was due to make its first voyage in 2016, before being delayed to 2018, and again to 2022.
A financial dispute from 2015 regarding mining royalty payments drained the plan’s resources. However, the Supreme Court of Western Australia threw the plan a lifeline when it ruled Palmer’s company was owed $150 million in unpaid royalties.
Scepticism about the proposal
Despite what appears to be a green light for the proposal, scepticism remains. Conflicting media reports exist around location and existence of construction. Blue Star Line have said little about the project publicly.
Palmer himself is also a controversial figure. He made his fortune in the mining industry and served a term as a politician, drawing comparison to Donald Trump with his party, the Palmer United Party.
