Clive Palmer and Titanic signs with China to promote the project.....

[roscoe39]

press release received today...thought you might be interested..

 

 

Media Release

 

May 9, 2014

 

BLUE STAR LINE AND DELTAMARIN SIGNS TITANIC II MOU WITH AVIC

 

Blue Star Line Pty Ltd Chairman Clive Palmer today announced Blue Star Line, Deltamarin Ltd and AVIC Kaixin (Beijing) Ship Industry Co Ltd have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) appointing AVIC as its latest Titanic II project partner.

 

AVIC will represent Blue Star Line in the promotion of the Titanic II project and coordination of Titanic II sponsors from mainland China.

 

Mr Palmer said in 2013 AVIC was ranked 212 among Fortune Global 500 companies and the MOU represents an opportunity for China to promote itself to the world via Titanic II.

 

He said the appointment of AVIC represents Blue Star Line’s confidence in China, as AVIC Group is one of the largest industrial groups authorised and managed by the People’s Republic of China Central Government.

 

“I would like to welcome AVIC to the Titanic II project,” Mr Palmer said.

 

“AVIC will assist in promoting the Titanic II and shortlisting sponsors from mainland China on behalf of Blue Star Line.”

 

“This is a great opportunity for China to showcase its products and promote its artisans and industries to the world.”

 

Dr Diao Weicheng, Chairman AVIC International Maritime Holdings Ltd, said it is a coup to have the Titanic II built in China.

 

“I am sure Blue Star Line is well prepared for the project, the world market is well prepared for the project and people the world over are looking forward to seeing Titanic II,” Dr Weicheng said.

 

“AVIC and Deltamarin will cooperate with Blue Star Line on this project (and) we are confident Titanic II will be a story of success.”

 

In April, 2012, Mr Palmer commissioned CSC Jinling Shipyard to build and coordinate the construction of Titanic II in China and Deltamarin was later appointed to undertake the preliminary works prior to CSC Jinling commencing construction of the passenger liner.

 

“The first project development phase has been completed,” Mr Palmer said.

 

“Currently the focus is on the evaluation and the project master plan development and more information will be available once this phase is completed.

 

“Titanic II is scheduled to be launched from its construction base in China in 2018, before her maiden passenger voyage retracing its original journey from Southampton to New York.”

 

ENDS

[Cruachan]

...

 

“Titanic II is scheduled to be launched from its construction base in China in 2018, before her maiden passenger voyage retracing its original journey from Southampton to New York.”

 

ENDS

 

Interesting concept - I thought the original voyage terminated at a large lump of ice somewhere in the North Atlantic well short of New York.

 

:D

 

J

[sarafinadh]

It seems a bit creepy to me to raise the Titanic. There is something about that tragic ill fated name that seems better left in solitude on the floor of the Atlantic. ..

[BlueRiband]

Thanks for the update as that has been the first official news coming out of Blue Star Line since the model basin tests. If the ship is to be launched in 2018 then we are seeing a 2019-2020 time frame for sea trials.

 

Interesting that the naval architects - Deltamarin - have moved Titanic II off their home page although one can still find the blogs regarding the ship's design development.

 

The Blue Star Line web site has not been updated since last October. The social media sites were maintained through February. The last news bit was the last 30 seconds of a political interview where Palmer mentioned that first class stateroom mockups were now being built for display at his Coolum resort in July with "keel laying in September" of this year. (And oh yes, there was a UK article assuring passengers that the same beers and ales sold on the original ship will also be available on the replica. That will really speed construction!)

 

For construction timelines, I've used QM2's construction as a guide: Contract November 2000, first steel January 2002, keel block July 2002, float out March 2003, first sea trials September 2003. Titanic II will also be a prototype ship but at this point there is not yet a signed shipyard contract in place for Titanic II.

[QE2 fan]

If I remember correctly, at one time it was supposed to be ready by 2016.

[BlueRiband]

Stephen Payne's lecture Titanic Revisited has a new version with professional quality audio. Some here may have tried to listen to his presentation at the Webb Institute but the audio was very poor - an amateur video camera recording from the back of the lecture hall. This new version records his April 2014 presentation at the Gerald Ford Presidential Library for Michigan Engineering. (There must be a story on how a British gentleman finds himself in such a place! :D) Professional quality graphics and audio. Running time one hour and eight minutes.

 

[Cats2010]

A Memorandum of Understanding has no legal force, which means that it cannot be sued for. At this stage it only means that the parties INTEND to conclude a contract.

[pepperrn]

I read that Mr. Palmer has been less than friendly yesterday/today to the Chinese Government;

 

"An Australian MP has been criticised after he launched an extraordinary attack on the Chinese government, live on national TV. Mining magnate Clive Palmer made the comments when asked about his legal battle with a state-owned Chinese company" (from the BBC News website, interview (maybe only available to UK residents, sorry) here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-28848941 )

 

(He called them a name I shall not repeat/quote here ...) “We’ve had three judgments in the Federal Court and the Supreme Court of Western Australia and an arbitration against these Chinese ******* , I’m saying that because they’re Communist, they shoot their own people, they haven’t got a justice system and they want to take over this country. And we’re not going to let them".

I understand that the Australian Government is currently doing a massive damage limitation exercise.

 

This will certainly help get Titanic II built and launched on time...

Edited August 19, 2014 by pepperrn

[southland rob]

I think there is no way this will ever be built by Palmer.

 

Palmer is the person whom the Chinese allege converted their money, intended for mining expenditure in a joint venture with him, to his own use ; the use is said to be the massive amounts he spent at the last federal election in Australia promoting ridiculous unachievable promises for the Palmer United Party if elected.

Unfortunately, he and several others without any political or other relevant experience were elected and the party senators hold the balance of power in the Upper House and are proving impossible to deal with on any sensible basis !

 

Many are puzzled by Palmer's financial affairs as well as the myriad of litigation in which he is involved - not often the sign of prosperity.

 

Rob

[BlueRiband]

Blue Star web site has not been updated since the May 2014 press release regarding the promotional contract in China. Deltamarin (naval architects) last updated their blog in June: "..the first project development phase has been completed and now the focus is on the evaluation and the project master plan development. More information will be available once this phase is completed."

 

Earlier this year Palmer announced that some replica staterooms were to be built and place on display at his Coolum Resort last month. Doesn't appear to have happened.

[roscoe39]

I think there is no way this will ever be built by Palmer.

 

Palmer is the person whom the Chinese allege converted their money, intended for mining expenditure in a joint venture with him, to his own use ; the use is said to be the massive amounts he spent at the last federal election in Australia promoting ridiculous unachievable promises for the Palmer United Party if elected.

Unfortunately, he and several others without any political or other relevant experience were elected and the party senators hold the balance of power in the Upper House and are proving impossible to deal with on any sensible basis !

 

Many are puzzled by Palmer's financial affairs as well as the myriad of litigation in which he is involved - not often the sign of prosperity.

 

Rob

 

and interestingly, it doesn't look like his relationship is improving with the Chinese as he went on live television in Australia and referred to the Chinese as “mongrels” who shoot their own people.

 

Truly offensive to a country building his pride and joy the Titanic 2..I wonder if he is going to cancel his contract.

 

I dont think his popularity is growing in Australia either....

[Cruise Liner Fan]

It is more and more beginning to seem like this Titanic II project has struck an iceberg and is taking on water and going down just like the original Titanic. Just go to the facebook page of the Blue Star Line and there has not been any updates since last May and then they keep postponing the date of when they will start cutting the first piece of steel in the shipyard which was first supposed to be late last year and it was pushed back to last March and then postponed again to next month which is September and don't be surprised if September comes and goes and still no first piece of steel being cut in the shipyard for this now appears to be sinking Titanic II project. Clive Palmer is about as credible as former President Bill Clinton claiming that he did not have an affair with that young woman. And Titanic II has about as much chance at being built as when the QE2 goes on another crossing or cruise carrying fare paying passengers in this year of 2014. Regards,Jerry

Edited August 20, 2014 by Cruise Liner Fan

[loubetti]

We'll never see Titanic II, and just as well that we do not!

[BlueRiband]

FWIW, Clive Palmer was asked about Titanic II in an ABC radio interview on December 31st 2014: http://youtu.be/5xF--UX-AlI?t=3m5s

 

It's certainly a mixed message because the Blue Star Line website has not been updated since last May nor have any of its related social media sites. Deltamarin in November stated that their "current commission has been finalised. Blue Star Line will inform in due course about the eventual continuation of the project."

Edited January 11, 2015 by BlueRiband

[melb1988]

I often think about the fate of this project.... i doubt it will happen. (i was a believer at the very start).

 

Does anyone else think that there are two more realistic goals Clive could set himself?

 

1) Just build a replica Titanic that functions as a shoreside museum/hotel instead of a an actual moving ship that requires major modification from the original design. I would prefer this anyway if it meant the ship could then be near 100% replica

 

or

 

2) Don't worry about Titanic and just buy the bloody QE2 Clive!!!! save her...!

 

thoughts?

[loubetti]

2) Don't worry about Titanic and just buy the bloody QE2 Clive!!!! save her...!

 

thoughts?

 

Great idea! Sadly, there are folks out there with far more money than brains. Titanic II was a bad idea from the start.

[DDBINK1]

Why would a rich guy in Australia want to build a ship in China? And he is a MP ?

The Media in the USA would roast him for going outside the country with his money.

[melb1988]

Why would a rich guy in Australia want to build a ship in China? And he is a MP ?

The Media in the USA would roast him for going outside the country with his money.

 

It's a bit different here in Australia, we don't even have our own car industry anymore thanks to the current governmemt. So we're used to looking to Asia for manufacturing.

As far as the media is concerned, well the Murdooch media, being conservative, complain about the cost of doing business in Australia anyway. They would more likely use it to push debate on lowering Australian wages rather than complain about a rich Australian billionaire sending his money elsewhere.

[Chunky2219]

Something tells me there's more chance of seeing the original Titanic afloat than this version. Lou Grade's idea was more plausible than this one.

 

.

[pepperrn]

Something tells me there's more chance of seeing the original Titanic afloat than this version. Lou Grade's idea was more plausible than this one.

I agree, there is little chance of it actually being built but, if it was, building Titanic II

would be cheaper than the cost to "Lower the Atlantic" :D :) (thank you Lew Grade ;) )

Edited January 12, 2015 by pepperrn

[bazzaw]

It's a bit different here in Australia, we don't even have our own car industry anymore thanks to the current governmemt.

 

Can't let you get away with that one!! There are many reasons why we no longer have a car industry in Australia and none of them have anything to do with the current Government. What the current Government has done is to stop funding support of a heavily Unionised (and featherbedded) industry. Previous Governments have been quite happy to financially support Unionised labour - but it could not go on forever!

[melb1988]

Can't let you get away with that one!! There are many reasons why we no longer have a car industry in Australia and none of them have anything to do with the current Government. What the current Government has done is to stop funding support of a heavily Unionised (and featherbedded) industry. Previous Governments have been quite happy to financially support Unionised labour - but it could not go on forever!

 

I'm pretty sure this governments scare tactics leading up to the election have since been debunked numerous times since then and that they have been exposed as duds who will (at this stage) not be re elected.

Their budget is a failure and their spending does not seem to back up their supposed views that 'the country was/is in a financial crisis'.

Meanwhile, they've just purchased a new fleet of bullet proof custom BMW's,

so fat cat Joe can be driven around town in ultra luxurious piece whilst he smokes his cigars and laughs to himself about 'poor people'

 

Sorry, but true.

[BrissyCruiser]

Why would a rich guy in Australia want to build a ship in China? And he is a MP ?

The Media in the USA would roast him for going outside the country with his money.

 

The man is an idiot that loves the sound of his own voice, started his own political party because he could no longer influence mainstream parties.

[bazzaw]

I'm pretty sure this governments scare tactics leading up to the election have since been debunked numerous times since then and that they have been exposed as duds who will (at this stage) not be re elected.

Their budget is a failure and their spending does not seem to back up their supposed views that 'the country was/is in a financial crisis'.

Meanwhile, they've just purchased a new fleet of bullet proof custom BMW's,

so fat cat Joe can be driven around town in ultra luxurious piece whilst he smokes his cigars and laughs to himself about 'poor people'

 

Sorry, but true.

 

None of the vitriol that you have just espoused has anything to do with the car industry. The Australian Car Industry has been dying for many years - under various Governments - and only propped up financially by the Australian Government to maintain the semblance of a functioning Industry - plus, of course, to prop up the rapidly diminishing Unionised workforce in the country.

[melb1988]

None of the vitriol that you have just espoused has anything to do with the car industry. The Australian Car Industry has been dying for many years - under various Governments - and only propped up financially by the Australian Government to maintain the semblance of a functioning Industry - plus, of course, to prop up the rapidly diminishing Unionised workforce in the country.

 

Look I'm not here to bore the rest of the forum

Members with a debate about Australian politics and I'm certainly not interested in associating with anyone who clearly holds right wing backwards views as I (and based on what the current polls say, most Australians) feel there's no place in Australia for such views these days.

 

Good luck and of coarse happy sailing! Is all I can say to you.

 

Now back to ships...