Titanic II
- Atlanta Colling
- Jul 4, 2019
- 4 min read
Meant to be an exact replica but will it actually happen? Is it disrespectful?
Titanic II will be owned by Australian company called Blue Star Line. The company's current headquarters are located in Brisbane.
The ship is said to be exact replica of original Titanic but with some major differences, in terms of lifeboats and safety features. This is so that it would be safer for passengers today.
When Australian business tycoon, Clive Palmer announced in April 2012 (the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic) that he wanted to create a second Titanic it had members of the Titanic community divided right down the middle. Half of this community thought that it might be a good idea but the other half did not think that it would actually go ahead.
The original launch date for the ship was said to be 2016 but that year came and went with no ship in sight. It was then pushed back to 2018 but yet again still no Titanic II launch. However, on September 27, 2018, Blue Star Line sent out a press release stating that the reason there had been no Titanic II was due to a problem with the company who were building the ship.
The world now has a new launch date for the ship and that is said to be in 2022. However, is this date to be trusted or is it just another way of proving that the ship will never happen.
Patrick Wilkinson, of Hull in East Yorkshire pointed out that it is: “Worth noting is that Palmer puts forward more plans in the run up to every Australian election. 2013, 2016 and now (election's next week). Might be me being cynical but he gets a lot of publicity for it at the perfect time.”
The fact that Clive Palmer seems to put this plan forward every time there is an election about to happen in Australia, does make you think is this his way of trying to get elected?
This article explores the opinion of whether or not this ship will actually go ahead and if people find it to be disrespectful to the victims of the original Titanic, who tragically lost their lives in the early hours of April 15th 1912.
Below are the opinions of members of the public, who wanted to give their own opinion on this topic of Titanic II
What is your opinion on the Titanic II project, in terms of do you find disrespectful and why?
Eric Petersen, 54, of Massachusetts USA said: “I personally do not find Titanic II to be offensive. Titanic II would be a ship that looks very much like Titanic but not identical. There would be some major differences. They have to add a deck to get enough boats in the right place for instance and then pollution controls etc. I do not think it would be financially viable. Titanic II would be small compared to today and have no pool, pool slides, an outdoor amphitheater etc.”
From this response alone you can already tell that an exact replica is not going to happen. For example, the addition of an extra deck would completely change the size of the ship not to mention the appearance. This extra deck or ‘safety deck’ will supposedly hold the lifeboats (which are reportedly going to be replicas of the original lifeboats that were last seen being cut away from the rescue ship, Carpathia back in 1912) and all the equipment needed for evacuation.
Councillor Steven Tattum, of Connah’s Quay in Wales said: “It’ an interesting project and one I have always wished to succeed. However, I do believe Clive Palmer is living in fantasy land and it will never happen.”
It seems that a lot of people when put this question, agree with Cllr Tattum on the fact that it is a nice idea but because Clive Palmer keeps putting back the date it will never happen. Which in a sense makes people in the Titanic community a little upset by this, as the majority of people seem to think that it could be counted as a memorial towards the victims of the original Titanic. Although they think it is a good idea so people do think it should be stationary and used as a museum instead of a passenger ship.
Ethan Samuel Fox, 25 from Southampton said: “I think the project is a great idea. It’s something that has been spoken about for many years now and will be VERY costly, so isn’t something I think will ever come to fruition, unfortunately. If the project was ever completed, I’d be very willing to spend good money on securing a ticket for the voyage. I have no fears as I don’t believe in anything supernatural that could affect the ship. It would be an honour to travel on a ship that mirrors the Titanic.”
Now these are just three opinions on why it is a great idea however two people did have a different opinion on the subject.
Tania Gower, Student at the University of Tasmania, Australia said: “I find Titanic 2 disrespectful because the Titanic is a grave site, it needs respect, it is not a money fueling thing, (which it was and look how THAT turned out), it represented freedom which people didn’t get and the real story behind it is sadness, greed and an attempt to control the element of water.”
Denise Culton, of Yakima in Washington, USA said: “I must say I find it disrespectful. In my opinion I think the makers of Titanic II are using the name and fame of Titanic to make money. If they just wanted to recreate the style of travel back then, they did not need to call it Titanic II.”
These responses to just that one question make you wonder will it ever happen as of right now there is no sight of any steps being undertaken to start of the project: no keel being laid, hull plates or any decks. The only information given is what Clive Palmer tells the members of the public and a video in which they released with footage of what Titanic II will look like.
So the final question is will Titanic II ever go ahead? If it does will the company Blue Star Line, who refuse to answer questions relating to the matter, keep the ship as a way of transporting passengers between Southampton and New York or will they listen to members of the Titanic community and actually keep the ship as a museum that will transport you back to 1912. We will have to wait till 2022 for more updates.
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