Saturday, May 5, 2012

Coming to An Iceberg Near You

Could this be related to the 'floating' interest rate?
One of Australia's richest men is going to build a 21st Century version of the Titanic!
Mining billionaire Clive Palmer says construction will start at the end of next year, and Titanic II will sail from London to New York in late 2016. He wants it to be as similar as possible to the original Titanic in design, specs and luxury but with state-of-the-art 21st Century technology, and the latest navigation and safety systems. His announcement comes only weeks after the centenary of the loss of the Titanic (the largest luxury ship of its time, which sank on 15 April 1912 after hitting an iceberg on its Southampton-New York maiden voyage, killing 1,514 people).
When reporters asked if his Titanic replica would follow suit, Palmer said: "Of course it'll sink if you put a hole in it." He quickly added: "It's going to be designed so it won't sink.'' The original Titanic was also designed to be 'unsinkable' [although its owner the White Star Line never made that actual claim in any of its advertising. It got very close to saying it...but not quite! That was one of those 'urban
"Don't bloody let go this time, Rose!"
myths' that floated better than the ship!]
The cost of the construction is not known, but it'll be built by a Chinese state-owned company [the 1912 cost of the Titanic = £3m / in today's terms = at least £210m!!]. The Queensland mining magnate, with strong business ties to China, has expanded into tourism. He owns a luxury resort on the Sunshine Coast and plans to build a fleet of luxury liners. His building of the replica was announced on the same day he revealed plans to contest the next federal election in Queensland for the Liberal National Party.
Mr Palmer will be hoping his political aspirations don't follow the original Titanic.

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