Titanic II – is there a chance that the project that seemed sunk without trace will now sail at last?

This image was originally issued in 2013. For newly released video, please click here

Back in 2013, an Australian mining magnate held a press conference at The Ritz in London on his ambitious plans to build Titanic II – a modern replica of the doomed liner.

Billionaire Clive Palmer didn’t take it too well when I asked if it was a hoax. ‘Bullshit,’ he replied. ‘I have enough money to build Titanic II ten times over.’

Alas, like the original ship that sank after hitting an iceberg in 1912, the project disappeared without trace, despite almost annual internet speculation that it was being revived.

So it came as a surprise to hear that Mr Palmer has announced that the grandiose scheme to build the 2,435-passenger ship – with the same interiors and cabin layout as the original, only with more lifeboats – is back on track, with a proposed launch date in 2027.

Dismissing the 11 years since that original global PR push, he told a press conference in Sydney Opera House: ‘We are very pleased to announce that after unforeseen global delays, we have re-engaged with partners to bring the dream of Titanic ll to life. Let the journey begin.

‘The government lockdowns sent the cruise industry into a long-term shutdown but shipping is back in full business with passenger numbers now surpassing pre-covid levels. We are getting the best shipbuilders, designers and engineers in the world back on deck to build Titanic ll.’

Mr Palmer’s Blue Star Line released an updated video, similar to the one from 2013, but said no still pictures were available.

The project is supported by Finnish-based ship design and marine engineering company Deltamarin, which has ensured the vessel will comply with all current safety and construction regulations.

Other global partners are said to include V.Ships Leisure and Swedish marine architecture and interior design company Tillberg Design.

‘Blue Star Line will create an authentic Titanic experience, providing passengers with a ship that has the same interiors and cabin layout as the original vessel, while integrating modern safety procedures, navigation methods and 21st-century technology to produce the highest level of luxurious comfort,’ Mr Palmer said.

‘We are bringing in some of the best designers in the world for cruise shipping to make sure nothing is overlooked and we have a specification that is far, far superior than the original Titanic. It will be the ship of love and the ultimate in style and luxury.’

He added: ‘The essence of this venture is to offer passengers an unparalleled journey back in time, immersing them fully in the opulence and splendour of life aboard the original Titanic, thus bridging a century with a voyage of unparalleled elegance.’

Mr Palmer says the ship will follow the original journey, carrying passengers from Southampton to New York, but will also circumnavigate the globe.

At 56,000 tons, she will be tiny compared to modern giants such as Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, which is almost five times as big. But 2,435 passengers would feel crammed by today’s standards – comparable-sized ships such as Regent Seven Seas Explorer carry only 750.

The nine-deck ship would be 269m long and 32.2m wide and hold 835 cabins – 383 in first class, 201 in second and 251 in third.

A first-class grand staircase illuminated by a 50-light chandelier hanging from a wrought iron and glass dome would descend down most of the decks. Other amenities would include a traditional dining room and first-class dining saloon, luxurious staterooms and suites, grand ballroom, gym, squash court, swimming pool, baths, theatre and casino.

Titanic II would also feature an exact replica of the bridge as it was in the original ship, designed and configured to modern standards and regulations – such as being able to spot icebergs. It will be powered by a diesel engine and have four smoke stacks like the coal-powered original.

‘In 1912 the Titanic was the ship of dreams. For over a century the legend has been powered by mystery, intrigue and respect for all she stood for,’ Mr Palmer said.

‘Titanic ll is something that needed to be built. We all know how to make war. We get armies and we fund wars. People know about that. But it is a lot harder to make peace. To make peace you have got to stick with it every day. You progress inch by inch.

‘Titanic ll is something that can provide peace. It can be a ship of peace between all countries of the world.

‘Millions have dreamt of sailing on her, seeing her in port and experiencing her unique majesty. Titanic ll will be the ship where those dreams come true.’

Let’s see if those dreams come true this time.

See also:

Titanic II is no hoax, insists billionaire mining magnate