An Australian billionaire is planning to build a modern-day version of the tragically destined Titanic, and has stressed that the Titanic II will be equipped with state of the art safety measures, including a ‘safety deck.’
Clive Palmer, a mining tycoon, has had dreams to create the Titanic II for years. His dream is finally set to come true as plans are being made for building to start on the vessel in China this year.
Palmer released the preliminary drawings and deck layout plans for the Titanic II in July this year, stating that the new ship will keep the first, second and third class divisions of the original Titanic, as well as a novel safety deck equipped with safety features. There will be ten decks on the ship in total.
The new ship will be fully compliant with safety regulations, which require all passenger vessels to keep lifeboats and the lifeboat launching area as close to the waterline as possible. Of course, Palmer is also adamant that the boat will be equipped with enough life boats to carry every passenger and crew member in the case of an emergency.
The original Titanic, which engineers claimed was ‘practically unsinkeable’, sank on its maiden voyage on April 15, 1912 after hitting an iceberg en route to New York from Southhampton, killing more than 1500 crew members and passengers.
The Titanic II will keep the same basic design as the original vessel, including the passenger staircases, cabins and public rooms. The safety deck will store the lifeboats, as well as safety slides. The vessel, which was designed by Finnish ship engineering company Deltamarine, will also feature a number of emergency escape stairwells and elevators. The ship will also boast a modern entertainment area, including a casino.
Palmer’s plans to rebuild the Titanic have been met with more than a little skepticism, but the eccentric billionaire is determined that his dream will become a reality. Although the plans for the ship are yet to be approved, Palmer believes that cruise line operator Blue Star Line are committed to the project and the Chinese ship-building company CSC Jinling Shipyard are expected to begin work on the vessel as soon as the plans are approved.
The Titanic II’s maiden voyage to North America is tentatively scheduled for the end of 2016, if all goes according to Palmer’s plans. Although Palmer is confident his venture will be a success, only time will tell how passengers will respond to the prospect of travelling on the name-sake of the ill-fated Titanic.
