R.M.S Titanic was not the first nor the only liner that had a rather unfortunate destiny and found a home at the depths of an ocean, but sure is the most popular wreck that history has recorded. The unsinkable ship of dreams is the world’s most romanticized wreck, its tale has captivated the world since it struck an iceberg in the Atlantic 104 years ago.
The concept of building an exact replica of the iconic liner has been on and off for years, especially after James Cameron’s blockbuster in 1997.
However, among those who remain still fascinated by the ill-fated ship is the Australian bilioner and mining tycoon Clive Palmer who announced recently the exact replica of Titanic entitled Titanic II to set sail in 2018.
“The new Titanic will, of course, have modern evacuation procedures, satellite controls, digital navigation and radar systems and all those things you’d expect on a 21st-century ship,” James McDonald, the global marketing director of Palmer’s Blue Star Line, told the Belfast Telegraph.
Clive Palmer first announced the project in a press conference on 30 April 2012, following the signature of a memorandum of understanding with state-owned Chinese shipyard CSC Jinling ten days before. On 19 June, it was announced that Finnish naval architecture firm Deltamarin Ltd. had been commissioned to undertake the design of the ship, and on 17 July a preliminary general arrangement was published.
In October 2012, Blue Star Lines announced that Titanic expert Steve Hall had been appointed as Design Consultant and Historian for the project, and that Titanic interiors expert Daniel Klistorner had been appointed as Interior Design Consultant and Historian.Hall and Klistorner had previously co-authored books such as Titanic: The Ship Magnificent and Titanic in Photographs and gave a technical presentation at the unveiling of the designs in New York, as well as at the dinner in London.Later that month, it was announced that an advisory board would be formed to provide “suggestions and recommendations to Blue Star Line to ensure the Titanic II appropriately and respectfully pays homage to Titanic, her crew and passengers.” Terry Ismay, the great-great nephew of White Star Line chairman and Titanic survivor J. Bruce Ismay will be a member of the board, as well as Helen Benziger, great granddaughter of Titanic survivor Margaret ‘Molly’ Brown.