Titanic II scheduled to set sail in 2018

BELFAST, Northern Ireland — A legendary ship could have a new life of sorts if plans to build the Titanic II come to fruition.

Announced in 2012 to coincide with the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, the replica of the ill-fated trans-Atlantic liner was supposed to set sail this year, but as late as August of last year, launch plans were pushed back until 2018.

Australian moneyman Clive Palmer said it's only a delay and said this week in an interview with The Belfast Telegraph that the ship will sail.

The new ship's design is almost identical to that of its namesake, but it is about 13 feet wider than the original ship.

It will have a welded, not riveted hull, along with modern evacuation plans, controls, navigation and radar, James McDonald, marketing director of the Blue Star Line, told The Belfast Telegraph.

There will be first-, second- and third-class tickets just like the 1912 version, and the rooms and public area, including the swimming pool and the Titanic's famous Turkish baths, will be copies of those on the original ship.

The ship, if it does sail, will not be taking the route from Southampton to New York, but will sail from China to Dubai instead.

The original Titanic; sank on its maiden voyage after hitting an iceberg in the north Atlantic. More than 1,500 people died.

Despite last year's announcement of the sailing delay, mock-up images of the ship have recently been going viral.

The images, along with an animated preview of the ship and its rooms, have been posted to the Titanic II's Twitter site.

Cox Media Group