Billionaire launches Titanic II blueprint in New York (From Daily Echo)
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Billionaire launches Titanic II blueprint in New York
7:43am Wednesday 27th February 2013 in News
Billionaire launches Titanic II blueprint in New York
An Australian billionaire unveiled blueprints for his new version of the Titanic that could set sail in late 2016 in New York last night
Clive Palmer unveiled plans, previously revealed in the Daily Echo, for the famously doomed ship's namesake yesterday at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York.
He said work was due to start soon in China.
Mr Palmer said 40,000 people had expressed interest in tickets for the maiden voyage, taking the original course from Southampton to New York.
He said people were inspired by his quest to replicate one of the most famous vessels in history.
''We all live on this planet, we all breathe the same air and, of course, the Titanic is about the things we've got in common,'' he said. ''It links three continents.''
The original Titanic was the world's largest and most luxurious ocean liner when it hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank on April 15, 1912.
Only 700 people of the more than 2,200 on board survived the most famous maritime disaster in history, partly because there were not enough lifeboats to carry everyone.
Mr Palmer said an unknown when the original ship sailed - climate change - may play into a positive for the new ship's fate.
''One of the benefits of global warming is there hasn't been as many icebergs in the North Atlantic these days,'' he said.
Passengers on board the replica will dress in the fashion of that period and eat dishes from the original menu, in dining rooms copied from the ill-fated predecessor.
Joining Mr Palmer yesterday was Helen Benziger, the great granddaughter of Titanic survivor Margaret ''Molly'' Brown.
Ms Benziger, who agreed to serve on the advisory board for the Titanic II, said her great grandmother, who died in 1932, would have loved to see the Titanic rebuilt and complete the journey it never got to finish.
In what some may consider a temptation of fate for a remake of a notoriously ''unsinkable'' ship that sank, a representative of the Finnish designer of the Titanic II said it would be the ''safest cruise ship in the world''.
Markku Kanerva, director of sales for marine design company Deltamarin said that while the vessel was modelled after the legendary liner - the diesel-powered ship would even have four decorative smoke stacks mimicking the coal-powered originals - it will meet modern navigation and safety requirements.
In addition, plans call for a new ''safety deck'' featuring state-of-the-art lifeboats, safety chutes and slides.
And the new ship will also have amenities unknown a century ago, like air conditioning.
Mr Palmer, who is funding the ship's construction himself, built his fortune in property and coal. Australia's BRW magazine estimated his net worth last year at four billion dollars (£2.6bn), although Forbes puts it at 895 million (£593bn).
''I want to spend the money I've got before I die,'' he said. ''You might as well spend it, not leave it to the kids to spend, there will be enough left for them anyway.'
Comments(17)
OSPREYSAINT
says...
8:37am Wed 27 Feb 13
Tenderhearts wife wrote:Why? The original event happened so long ago it really doesn't matter any more. To call it something else would be pointless. There are dozens of scale replicas all over the World, what is the difference apart from the size?
Bad news, should leave well alone,use your imagination people and name it something else!
St Retford
says...
10:53am Wed 27 Feb 13
Frank28
says...
11:21am Wed 27 Feb 13
StevieSteve
says...
11:42am Wed 27 Feb 13
Fark off.
Beer Monster
says...
12:13pm Wed 27 Feb 13
''One of the benefits of global warming is there hasn't been as many icebergs in the North Atlantic these days''
Jesus Christ, the man's in the same league as Donald Trump. Talk about shoving your head in the sand.
bernard7
says...
12:36pm Wed 27 Feb 13
Why on earth should this not be done, with today's technology there is pretty much no way that history could repeat itself!
Do you lot just not want anything good for southampton at all? Should we just burn down the entire city? Would that make you all happy?
Tenderhearts wife
says...
12:50pm Wed 27 Feb 13
bernard7 wrote:calm down Bernard,calm down, get down off your high horse. no one has mentioned 'burning down the whole city' let alone lighting a small bonfire! The issue isnt about someone building a beautiful ship in the style of the Titanic which if it is using Southampton as one of its chosen ports will indeed be a boost for the city it is about the bad taste choice of names , surely someone somewhere can come up with something else to call it. youve said 'with todays technology there is pretty much no chance history can repeat its self? how blase of you, I think Ive heard a similar thing quoted from Thomas Andrews the designer of The titanice and we all know what happened there dont we!!
Frank 28 did you actually read the article? 40,000 people in new york alone are interested in tickets and sailing on it.
Why on earth should this not be done, with today's technology there is pretty much no way that history could repeat itself!
Do you lot just not want anything good for southampton at all? Should we just burn down the entire city? Would that make you all happy?
bernard7
says...
1:19pm Wed 27 Feb 13
I only suggested burning the city down as no one seems happy with anything on here so there can't be much in southampton worth having. May as well get rid of it, save us all some money.
southy
says...
1:24pm Wed 27 Feb 13
Frank28 wrote:Not insulting, its more of a case of breaking that unwriten rule, never to name a ship where loads of the crew have died on a sinking ship, Thats where the bad omen comes into it
This is an insulting, uncouth tribute to the memory of those who died. It is also a bad omen to retain the name of an old ship on a new one. All Mr Palmer needs to do now is to find people willing to sail on the Titanic.
kingnotail
says...
2:01pm Wed 27 Feb 13
kingnotail
says...
2:03pm Wed 27 Feb 13
bernard7 wrote:Sounds like a good idea - start again from scratch! There is barely anything left worth saving anyway.
Frank 28 did you actually read the article? 40,000 people in new york alone are interested in tickets and sailing on it.
Why on earth should this not be done, with today's technology there is pretty much no way that history could repeat itself!
Do you lot just not want anything good for southampton at all? Should we just burn down the entire city? Would that make you all happy?
Tenderhearts wife
says...
3:12pm Wed 27 Feb 13
bernard7 wrote:I happen to love living In Southampton as did many generations of my family before me. Not eveyone is unhappy with everything here and there are more positives about the city than negatives but they are not all based on the fact that 100 years ago The Titanic sailed on her maiden voyage from here. Southampton is about more than that.How will burning Southampton to the ground save us all money , please explain because im having trouble getting my head around that comment?
But did he have all the elctronic systems of today? No! Im sure they would be able to detect an iceberg much sooner 100 years on! The whole point is the fact that its called the Titanic, no doubt that name will attract people much more than if it was called anything else? Its the whole idea behind the project.
I only suggested burning the city down as no one seems happy with anything on here so there can't be much in southampton worth having. May as well get rid of it, save us all some money.
Proud from LIVERPOOL
says...
3:25pm Wed 27 Feb 13
kingnotail wrote:Loads of tasteless crazy stupid Americans with more money than sense would unfortunately.
Seriously, who would get on a boat called 'Titanic II'?!
OSPREYSAINT
says...
6:55pm Wed 27 Feb 13
southy wrote:Ark Royal?
Frank28 wrote:Not insulting, its more of a case of breaking that unwriten rule, never to name a ship where loads of the crew have died on a sinking ship, Thats where the bad omen comes into it
This is an insulting, uncouth tribute to the memory of those who died. It is also a bad omen to retain the name of an old ship on a new one. All Mr Palmer needs to do now is to find people willing to sail on the Titanic.
Shoong
says...
9:24pm Wed 27 Feb 13
southy wrote:Sinking ship?
Frank28 wrote:Not insulting, its more of a case of breaking that unwriten rule, never to name a ship where loads of the crew have died on a sinking ship, Thats where the bad omen comes into it
This is an insulting, uncouth tribute to the memory of those who died. It is also a bad omen to retain the name of an old ship on a new one. All Mr Palmer needs to do now is to find people willing to sail on the Titanic.
A bit like The Socialist Party or the TUSC.
X Old Bill
says...
12:05pm Thu 28 Feb 13
OSPREYSAINT wrote:Yes! and Prince of Wales also springs to mind.
southy wrote:Ark Royal?
Frank28 wrote:Not insulting, its more of a case of breaking that unwriten rule, never to name a ship where loads of the crew have died on a sinking ship, Thats where the bad omen comes into it
This is an insulting, uncouth tribute to the memory of those who died. It is also a bad omen to retain the name of an old ship on a new one. All Mr Palmer needs to do now is to find people willing to sail on the Titanic.
BTW - to the Echo: A 'Blue Print' is NOT the same thing as an 'Artists impression' or even CGI, which is what these pictures are.
Tenderhearts wife says...
8:27am Wed 27 Feb 13