A mining tycoon has reignited plans to build a replica of Titanic and let it sail the seas, 10 years after playing with the idea.
Billionaire Clive Palmer held a press conference this week where he unveiled designs for the new vessel, which he claims would be “far, far superior than the original”.
The Australian told journalists his company, Blue Star Line, would build the ship, however admitting they don’t have a shipyard yet for the construction. He said it’d be “the ship of love and the ultimate in style and luxury”.
10 years ago, Palmer first announced plans to build a Titanic replica with the idea of sailing it – it wouldn’t be just for decoration. Initially, he wanted to construct it at a shipyard in China before the voyage from England to New York in 2016. However, delays the year before prevented construction from starting.
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Then reports said it would be sailing in 2022, and that didn’t happen either.
However, Palmer has hit back at claims it’s not going to happen.
At the press event, he blamed the Covid pandemic for recent delays and denied backlash saying it was a hoax or publicity stunt. Palmer told reporters he had “enough money to build the Titanic 10 times over”.
The billionaire added a “couple of million people” have already registered to be on the 2500-person ship when it sets off.
“I have money now,” Palmer said. “So I could do the Titanic. I’m gonna do it.
“It’s a lot more fun to do the Titanic than it is to sit at home and count my money.
“All you need to be happy, I’ve found in my life, is to have someone that loves you, somewhere to sleep at night and enough for a good meal.
“Beyond that, the rest is an illusion – it’s like playing golf.”
Palmer believes he can find a shipyard for construction to begin early next year, and plans for the voyage to be from Southampton to New York in 2027. He thinks it’ll cost $1.3bn to make.
The original 1912 voyage saw the Titanic sink after it struck an iceberg on the way to New York, where more than 1,500 people died.
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