Brisbane: In an exclusive interview with SinoShip News Australian mining tycoon Clive Palmer talks about Chinese shipbuilding, the Chinese cruise market and his bid to build a replica of the world’s most famous cruise ship.
Palmer announced last year his intentions to build Titanic II at CSC Jinling Shipyard in China, and while a firm contract has yet to be signed with the shipbuilder, the Australian businessman is adamant the project will go ahead.
Palmer stressed the project is for real, and that the first sailing from Southampton in the UK to North America will take place as planned in 2016.
Palmer’s Blue Star Line has chosen CSC Jinling Shipyard to build the ship, a yard where Palmer, via another subsidiary Queensland Nickel Group, placed an order for four 64,000dwt bulkers last year.
“We’re still going through the final contract process so I can’t provide a time for when that will be completed,” Palmer says of the Titanic II order, before adding: “There are no major issues and we still expect the ship will built in time for the maiden voyage in 2016.”
The shipyard is keen to get moving on the project. Over the weekend Chinese state media reported the boss of CSC Jinling, Ge Biao, being “fully prepared” for the construction of the replica.
“We thought a great way for the Chinese to break into the luxury shipbuilding market and give the Europeans some healthy competition would be to build a 21st version of the Titanic,” Palmer says, declining to reveal the cost of the project.
While Titanic II will focus on the transatlantic like its predecessor Palmer said it could sail to other destinations in Asia and Australia as well as be available for corporate events.
Turning specifically to China, Palmer said: “Everything about China excites me and has done so for decades. China is the world’s economic powerhouse. We’ve had a fantastic response from Chinese people enquiring about being on the Titanic II maiden voyage.”
However, CSC Jinling should not get its hopes up about more orders for bulker orders from the Australian. He told SinoShip News there were no plans “at this stage” to increase his commercial fleet. [20/02/13]
