Builder Says Titanic II ‘Unsinkable’; Where Have We Heard That Before?

By VANESSA WALKER

The Australian billionaire who had the bright idea to build Titanic II, assured skeptics on Tuesday that history would not repeat itself when the replica of the ship whose name has become synonymous with disaster is launched sometime in the not so distant future.

Modern technology and, perhaps, global warming might see to that.

This assuRance came at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum from Chairman of the Blue Star Line Clive Palmer as he unveiled his plan to bring the past into the future with a nearly exact replica of the infamous Titanic, the so-called “unsinkable” ship that sank after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912.

“It’s not about money but about creating a memory for the people,” he said.

So far over 47,000 prospective passengers have inquired about  tickets to board the ship’s first sail, Palmer said. Some were willing to pay $750,000 to $1 million for a berth.

“I’ll be traveling third class,” he added. “I know that is where most of the fun will be. I’ll be looking forward to banging the drum and doing the fiddle and getting dizzy from the twirling around like Leonardo did in the movie.”

The design and patent will replicate the first ship, builders said, except for air conditioning and more bathrooms on the lower decks. There will be no televisions or phones on the ship to strengthen the 1912 feel. The company plans to provide passengers with a full set of period clothing – down to underwear – to enhance the illusion of traveling over the seas and back in time

Markku Kanerva of Deltamarin, a naval architecture and engineering firm partnering with Blue Star Line, said the ship will follow the latest rules and safety regulations and modern software to make it the saFest cruise ship in the world.

Kanerva told reporters the ship could carry 2,435 passengers and 900 crew; lifeboats could carry 2,700 personsand  life rafts 800. The original Titanic had just 16 wooden lifeboats that accommodated 1,178 people, one third of the total capacity. Some 1,502 people died when it sank.

Construction begins in Shanghai later this year, Palmer said.  He expected the maiden voyage to take place in 2016.

Helen Benziger, the great-granddaughter of Molly Brown who survived the accident in 1912, said she was thrilled with the Titanic II. She said Palmer assured her the ship was built “to honor those who survived and perished in the horrific tragedy.”