Did you know that the Titanic is very much alive and well? At least that’s what they call it, but unlike the legendary ship, captured in exceptional Titanic art paintings, that sank in the Atlantic in 1912, this new version is “merely” a replica.
There’s nothing lowly or inferior, however, about the Titanic II. The brainchild of well-known Australian mining tycoon, Clive Palmer, the ship is intended to be a functional, highly detailed, modern-day replica of the famous ship. Estimated to have a gross tonage (GT) of more than 56,000, the ship is even heavier than the original, and it is estimated that it will have a length of more than 260 meters, or two and a half football fields.
The launch of the ship was initially aimed at 2016, and then delayed to 2018. But after Brexit ruined Palmer’s plans of having his European headquarters in London, the plan to launch the Titanic II has also been set back – by about four years.
The current strategy is that she ship be launched around 2022. A financial dispute has led to the project undergoing a hiatus period that lasted from 2015 to 2018, but as of November 2018, it seems that the development of the project is scheduled to continue throughout 2019. Whether or not the Titanic will be launched as planned remains to be seen. However, this project is considered to be one of the most ambitious attempts at recreating the famous Olympic-class ship.