Australian billionaire Clive Palmer has resurrected plans to build Titanic 2.0. It is Palmer’s third attempt to get this ambitious project started. His last Titanic effort in 2018 was upended due to the Covid pandemic. He first launched tentative plans for a modern-day Titanic in 2012.
“It’s a lot more fun to do the Titanic than it is to sit at home and count my money,” Palmer told local reporters.
Palmer is chairman of Blue Star Line, which is the company behind the Titanic project. With Australia’s cruise industry edging back to pre-Covid levels, now is the time to revive his Titanic dream, he says.
Palmer’s Firm Seeking Shipyard Proposals
Blue Star Line is now seeking tenders for the construction and hopes to appoint a shipbuilder by the end of 2024. Palmer is targeting work to begin in early 2025. He expects a European shipyard will be selected.
| “We are very pleased to announce that after unforeseen delays, we have re-engaged with partners to bring the dream of Titanic ll to life,” Palmer added. “We are getting the best shipbuilders, designers, and engineers in the world back on deck to build Titanic ll.” |
Finland-based ship design firm Deltamarin has reviewed the project for safety compliance, while V.Ships Leisure and Sweden-based Tillberg Design are also involved. Palmer said the modern Titanic will have the same interiors and cabin layout while adhering to modern safety standards.
Titanic II dimensions will be 269 meters (833 feet) long by 32.2 meters (105 feet) wide, with a capacity for 2,345 passengers. Powered by diesel, the new project will retain the iconic smokestacks of the original ship.
Other Titanic Dreams has sunk
Palmer isn’t the first billionaire with a Titanic dream. South African businessman Sarel Gous proposed building Titanic II in the late 1900s, but the project collapsed.
The Romandisea Titanic is a still unfinished replica of the famous ocean liner in landlocked Sichuan province, China. It is designed as the centerpiece of the Romandisea theme park as a static full-size Titanic replica serving as a hotel and tourist attraction.
