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Would you like to buy a ticket for the Titanic?
It's a dream or a nightmare, depending on who you ask, but a colorful tycoon of Australian business wants to make this option a reality.
Clive Palmer, a mining magnate and conservative politician, said his long-standing wish to build a replica of the famous opulent ship is back after years of delay.
On Monday, he announced that his cruise company, Blue Star Line, would establish a European headquarters early next year, most likely in Paris, to bring the Titanic II on the high seas.
"Millions of people have dreamed of navigating it, seeing it in the back and experiencing its unique majesty," he said. "Titanic ll will be the ship where these dreams come true."
The project was announced in 2012, but was suspended three years later. in a payment dispute between Palmer's flagship company, Mineralogy, and Citic, a Chinese state-controlled company.
At the end of last year, an Australian court ruled that Citic should pay the company millions of dollars in royalties from an iron ore project. The legal entanglement between the two sides continues, but Palmer said the court's decision prompted him to resume work on the Titanic II.
He also named his nephew, Clive Mensink, European Project Director. Mr. Mensink was previously General Manager of Queensland Nickel, another company of Mr. Palmer, which collapsed in 2016. Mr. Mensink then moved to Bulgaria and did not return to Australia for questioning by liquidators, which led to arrest warrants.
In a statement, Mr. Palmer stated that Mr. Mensink had not returned because the liquidators were not paying his travel expenses, and described him as "ideal candidate for a world class experience with Titanic II ".
"He shares Blue Star Line's passion for recreating the ship of dreams as a symbol of love and peace in the world, playing for Jack and Rose in all of us," he added. referring to characters played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. in the hit movie 1997.
The company released a video rendering of the cruise ship, accompanied by passengers in period costume, as they enjoyed the ornate dining rooms, a smokehouse, the famous grand staircase and even a Turkish bath.
Palmer said the vessel would have a capacity of 2,435 passengers in first-, second- and third-class cabins – and have enough space for all in fully enclosed motorboats.
The original Titanic was the largest ocean liner in the world and was considered unsinkable. He struck an iceberg and sank on his first voyage in April 1912. He was traveling to New York from Southampton, England, with only 1,178 berths for approximately 2,224 passengers and members of the United States. crew. The dead numbered about 1500.
Mr. Palmer, who recently put up billboards with the slogan "Make Australia Great" across the country and maintains a vibrant presence in social media, said his new ship would use modern methods of safety and navigation. He added that this flight would take a regular route connecting London to New York and would make other stops in the world, "drawing unparalleled attention, intrigues and mysteries in every port visited".
The company had already boasted that it had received thousands of inquiries about the reservation and several offers worth more than $ 1 million to travel on the ship's first trip.
"Australians used this for propaganda," said a worker. "It will not happen."
The company's most recent press releases did not indicate where the ship would be built.
But another replica of the Titanic is being built in China, where the 1997 film was extremely popular. This is the star attraction of a theme park in Sichuan Province, far from the sea. It's also years behind.
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