RSM Titanic replica to be built

Zoomer | April 30th, 2012

Great idea — or tempting fate? Australian mining and tourism tycoon Clive Palmer has announced plans to build an “unsinkable” version of the Titanic, 100 years after the original hit an iceberg and sank, leaving over 1500 passengers and crew dead.

“It is going to be designed so it won’t sink,” he told reporters, according to Reuters. “It will be designed as a modern ship with all the technology to ensure that doesn’t happen.”

The ship, which will be built by a Chinese-owned company, CSJ Jinling Shipyard, will be ready to set sail in late 2016. The maiden voyage will follow the old Titanic route from England to North America.

This sequel to the Titanic will be as similar as possible in design and specifications to the original, but with modern technology. The original vessel had 840 rooms and nine decks.

“It will be every bit as luxurious as the original Titanic but of course it will have state-of-the-art 21st Century technology and the latest navigation and safety systems,” Palmer said in a statement.

When asked by reporters if this version of the Titanic could, in fact, sink, Palmer said, “Of course it will sink if you put a hole in it.”

“It is going to be designed so it won’t sink,” he added. ”But, of course, if you are superstitious like you are, you never know what could happen.”

The announcement comes just weeks after the 100-year-anniversary of the tragic sinking on April 14-15, 2012. The RMS Titanic, the largest luxury liner of its time and called ‘virtually unsinkable’, struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York.

Last known photograph of the ill-fated RSM Titanic:

Additional sources: Reuters; Daily Telegraph; BBC

If someone gave you free tickets to the Titanic II would you take them — or are you too superstitious? Let us know in the comments!