The Replica Titanic (also known as the Titanic II) is a project to build a replica ship based on the famous RMS Titanic. Following an early feasibility study, there have been two such proposals. The first was abandoned in 2006 and the second announced in 2012.
Feasibility study[]
In 1998 Popular Mechanics outlined the engineering feasibility[1] for a replica Titanic after consulting with the Webb Institute. Most of the changes would appear below the water line:
- Welded, not riveted, hull
- Bulbous bow for greater fuel efficiency
- Enlarged rudder and bow thrusters for increased maneuverability
- Horizontal stabilizers
- Diesel electric generation and propulsion would free up the cavernous space used by Titanic’s 159 coal furnaces and 29 boilers
- Vacated space could be used for waste processing, water treatment, and air conditioning.
Extra funnels not needed for diesel generator exhaust would be dummy funnels. The economic feasibility was more uncertain. The engineering challenges would drive the construction costs to approximately twice the cost of a modern cruise ship.
First project: 2000–06[]
South African business mogul Sarel Gous proposed building Titanic II in June 2000. Gous said he had got hold of the original drawings for the famous ship and now wanted to fulfill his dream. If the ship had been completed, she would have had a length of 290 metres and a width of 33 metres.[2] Having held discussions with the technical department of the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, N. Ireland, he presented the proposal to Belfast City Council. The project was priced at around £500 million.[3] Gous had previously considered constructing the ship in Durban, South Africa, but commissioned a feasibility study into the project with Harland & Wolff.[4] The ship was intended to be the largest cruise liner in the world.[5]
In November 2000, Gous signed an agreement with a Monaco-based firm to finance the construction of the ship. He stated that construction would begin within the next nine months.[6]
The brand name of the company that would operate the Replica Titanic was to be the White Star Line, acting as a revival of the now defunct shipping line. The new Titanic was to be much like the original ship, being built at the shipyard Harland & Wolff in Belfast. It was planned that she would have been a modern cruise ship inside and would be larger than the original Titanic.[7]
From the outset the intention was to build an exact copy but with enough lifeboats. Due to SOLAS 2010 regulations in shipping, this proved to be impossible to meet. Modern fire-prevention regulations prohibit the large-scale use of wood in the interior.[8] It is also no longer legal to have lifeboats mounted as high as they were on Titanic. Standards now require that life boats be mounted no higher than 15 m (49 ft) above the waterline. A replica Titanic would require a height exemption similar to that granted the RMS Queen Mary 2.
In 2006 the Replica Titanic project was scrapped due to high costs and a low amount of support for the project. The last Titanic survivor, Millvina Dean,[9] had gone onto the record as being against the Titanic II ship.[10]
Second project: 2012–present[]
On 30 April 2012, Australian billionaire Clive Palmer announced that he had formed a company called Blue Star Line Pty Ltd and commissioned the CSC Jinling Shipyard in China to build a near replica Titanic.[11][12] Construction would begin in 2013 and the maiden voyage would be in 2016. The ship would be as close as possible in design and specification to the original Titanic, excluding a lack of lifeboats.
Media reports mentioned some changes to the design, such as a bulbous bow for greater fuel efficiency and an enlarged rudder and bow thrusters for increased maneuverability, which were findings of the 1998 study.
References[]
- ↑ Wilson, James (September 1998 p. 56-59). "Titanic Reborn". Popular Mechanics. http://books.google.com/books?id=YmYEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA4&dq=Titanic&hl=en&sa=X&ei=z4QsT8ngNufY0QGaqLTPCg&ved=0CGEQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Titanic&f=true. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
- ↑ "Titanic2". Titanic Norden. 12 December 2004. http://www.titanicnorden.com/fakta/titanic2.html. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ↑ BBC News | Northern Ireland | Tycoon presents Titanic II proposal
- ↑ Tycoon plans to build Titanic Mk II in Belfast (with enough lifeboats for all) – The Independent
- ↑ Money: Tycoon with a Titanic dream | Sunday Mirror Newspaper
- ↑ Dreams afloat to build Titanic II
- ↑ http://www.titanicnorden.com/fakta/pics/titanic22.jpg
- ↑ "Titanic Replica". Titanic-titanic.com. http://www.titanic-titanic.com/replica_titanic.shtml. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ↑ "Geredde baby tegen herbouw Titanic". Archief.nrc.nl. http://archief.nrc.nl/index.php/2001/Januari/12/Overig/28/Geredde+baby+tegen+herbouw+Titanic/check=Y. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ↑ "Le Titanic reconstruit". Titanic.pagesperso-orange.fr. http://titanic.pagesperso-orange.fr/page36.htm. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ↑ "Clive Palmer plans to build Titanic II". Sydney Morning Herald. 30 April 2012. http://www.smh.com.au/business/clive-palmer-plans-to-build-titanic-ii-20120430-1xtrc.html.
- ↑ "Titanic II to Be Built by Billionaire Palmer, Chinese Yard". Bloomberg. April 30, 2012. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-30/titanic-ii-to-be-built-by-billionaire-palmer-chinese-yard.html.
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