An Australian mining mogul is commissioning a Nanjing shipyard to rebuild the Titanic, only this time with better safety mechanisms...
Clive Palmer, an eccentric Australian mining billionaire, has recently struck a deal with Chinese state-owned CSC Jinling Shipyard Co Ltd in Nanjing to build a full-scale replica of the ill-fated Titanic, which sank on its maiden voyage 100 years ago. The Titanic II is scheduled to make its maiden voyage from London to New York in 2016.
CSC spokesperson Li Wenbao claims the Titanic II will be built in line with the original specifications except, of course, for the “latest navigation and safety systems”. The overall cost of the deal is yet to be disclosed. Just like its predecessor, Palmer claims the Titanic II will be “the ultimate in comfort and luxury” and will come equipped with onboard gymnasiums, swimming pools, libraries, high-class restaurants and luxury cabins.
The iconic ship will stay as true to its predecessor as possible, with the only key differences being below the waterline. The new version will be built with diesel, rather than coal, and will include a bulbous bow for greater fuel efficiency, as well as an enlarged rudder and bow thrusters for improved manoeuvrability.
Nonetheless, the ‘unsinkable’ Titanic - the largest ship of its kind when it was first built is small in comparison to the super-cruise ships of today. While the Titanic was a weighty 45,328 tons, current super cruise ships are on average a whopping 223,282 tons; the Titanic was only 269m long and was stacked 9 decks high - a minnow compared to the 360m and 15 decks of today's liners. For its time, Titanic was actually quite fast compared to the sluggish behemoths of today and could reach 21 knots at full speed, compared to only 22.6 knots of cruise ships today.