When people hear the word ‘Titanic,’ a stunning young Leonardo DiCaprio and Celine Dion’s sweet and saddening melodies usually spring to mind. However, despite the watercraft’s horrible fate in 1912, Clive Palmer, Australian billionaire, has plans to bring the majestic beauty back to life.
In 1912, the first Titanic ship set sail from Southhampton, England, with plans to finish its journey in New York City, United States. Unfortunately, the vessel was unable to follow through with its intended path; just 20 minutes before midnight, the cruise ship scraped against a colossal iceberg, tearing the hull’s right side and opening sixteen compartments. Slowly but surely, the so-called ‘unsinkable ship’ disappeared below the waves, killing 1,496 people in the process due to frigid temperatures. This historical event has always greatly interested Palmer, driving him to launch plans for Titanic II, the original voyager’s replica.
“It would not be a good idea [replicating the Titanic] because it could fail, and there could be a bunch of casualties,” Luke Clendaniel, freshman, said.
Palmer’s journey began back in 2012 after drafting an initial plan for the vessel, doing so again in 2018. Even though this project proved to be expensive, Palmer did not let the price stop him — he was determined to fulfill his dream. While money was not an issue, the COVID-19 pandemic wiping out the globe in 2020 was. When he was informed his mission had been put on hold, Palmer fought hard, even taking his situation to the Australian Government. Eventually, when the world freed itself from the virus’s deathly grasp, Palmer took initiative and began to work again.
“I feel like [Palmer] should not be making another Titanic ship. The Titanic was a huge historical event, and I feel like it should be kept in the past. The Titanic wants to be left alone, so [Palmer] should leave it alone,” Makenna Sewell, senior, said.
Although Palmer is overjoyed, some people are not as over the moon about the replication as he is. People tend to like new and fresh ideas, so many are concerned about the dangers that a second Titanic might bring. Palmer plans to recreate the first Titanic’s image and feel, just with more advanced safety; however, it is nearly impossible to plan for every situation. If something were to happen to the ship, it would only lead to millions of dollars going down the drain. Even when ignoring the possible debt threat, a bigger issue remains: the people’s safety. Palmer plans to make Titanic II available for public use; if precautionary measures fail, the number of lives lost would be tragic, with history only repeating itself. As many have already raised an eyebrow at Palmer’s idea, this could not only become a disaster but also an embarrassment to the nautical world.
“A new Titanic would not be a good idea because the first [ship] was an actual event; because there has not been a second one yet, I do not know what [Palmer] would base the ship off. It would be rude to the families on the first [Titanic] too,” Elysa Kelly, sophomore, said.
As Palmer continues to recreate what is perhaps one of the most famous ships of all time, the only thing left to do is wish him luck with his journey and hope for a successful outcome.
