Australian Business Man Rebuilds the Titanic
Have you ever wondered what the real Titanic looked like? If so, you’re not alone.
Photo credit: traveloscopy.blogspot.com
One of Australia’s richest men, Clive Palmer, is replicating the Titanic inch by inch. He calls his replication project the Titanic II.
Palmer is a 58-year-old businessman from Queensland, Australia. He is known for owning a mining company called Mineralogy. This company produced iron ores, which can have metallic iron extracted from them.
If you were looking for an exact replica of the structure of the Titanic, then you’re a little out of luck.
“It will be 98% the same,” Palmer told BBC in an interview. “The only difference will be an extra deck, to give the bridge greater visibility over the bow, which the original didn’t have.”
The Titanic II will also be 4 meters wider than the original, this change is required in order to meet international safety standards on stability. The replica will also have more than enough lifeboats.
In a press conference Palmer stated, “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.”
He has yet to tell the exact cost of the replica, but it is estimated to be between 8 and 15 billion.
Palmer is working closely with a European design team and a Chinese shipyard on his new project. Construction is set to begin in early 2013 and finish in 2016.
“We’ve already had 45,000 people expressing an interest in travelling on Titanic II.” Palmer told BBC.
The vessel is set to make its journey from London to New York in late 2016.
The biggest question still remains. With the expensive tab and the years of construction, what exactly is Palmer’s motivation for building this new vessel?
“Because I can. It is paying homage to the men and women who built her and to those who lost their lives sailing on her,” Palmer told BBC.
Some may only want to remember the 100-year-old piece of history through pictures and movies. But others may take an opportunity to set sail on the modern model of the ship that changed everything.
