Titanic replica to set sail in 2022

A controversial replica of the ill-fated Titanic is set to launch exactly 110 years after the original ship took its first and only cross-Atlantic journey in 2022.

After a three-year building hiatus caused by a legal dispute, work on the Titanic II has resumed, announced Blue Star Line chairman and Australian billionaire Clive Palmer recently.

It’s an ambitious and controversial project: to resurrect the ghost of the original RMS Titanic by recreating the mammoth vessel, down to passenger cabin configurations, dining rooms and the same cross-Atlantic route.

“Blue Star Line will create an authentic Titanic experience, providing passengers with a ship that has the same interiors and cabin layout as the original vessel, while integrating modern safety procedures, navigation methods and 21st century technology to produce the highest level of luxurious comfort,’’ Palmer said in a statement.

Recreating Jack and Rose scenes

The grand, spiralling staircase in which Jack beholds the resplendent Rose in the 1997 film Titanic? Check. The fancy dining room in which Jack dons a tuxedo and sips on champagne with Rose’s first-class entourage? Check. The hull where Jack takes Rose “flying” through the ocean air? Also check.

How the grand staircase will look on the Titanic II. Picture: Blue Star Line

Amenities will include swimming pools, gyms and Turkish baths circa 1912.

While the idea of being able to retrace the same seafaring voyage may be seen as an exciting opportunity for historians and fans of the fabled ocean liner, it might not be for everyone. For those who avoid walking under ladders or opening umbrellas indoors, the idea of retracing the same voyage that buried about 1 500 people in a watery grave may be unappealing.

While the Titanic II will be built in the image of her predecessor at 269m in length, the ship will be built to be wider to provide additional stability.

Another noteworthy addition: The ship will be equipped with 18 fully enclosed motor-driven lifeboats that can accommodate up to 250 people, or 4 500 people altogether, according to a video that updates the ship’s technical specifications. A bit of math shows that indeed, this time the ship will have more than enough lifeboats to accommodate the 2 435 passengers and 900 crew members on board.

According to Cruise Arabia & Africa, the ship will sail from her shipping yard in China to Dubai, where it will be repositioned to embark on a maiden, two-week voyage to her homeport of Southampton, from where it will make weekly sailings to New York, just like the original RMS Titanic.

Blue Star Line also announced plans to open its European head office in Paris next spring, in light of Brexit.

If the Titanic II does launch in 2022 as scheduled, it will set sail 110 year after the RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.