”The overwhelming response has been really good and that is shown across the world. The continued media attention is exciting. There are some people who believe there are issues, but we have an advisory board which has relatives of passengers and we are keen to make sure we are paying respects to them and will hopefully do that by recreating this majestic ship. The Titanic was a ship of dreams. Titanic II will be the ship where dreams come true,” Clive Palmer.
Titanic II ship project has reached an important step in its plan. The ambitious idea was announced by Clive Palmer in April 2012. The idea is to create a full scaled RMS Titanic ship replica. Blue Star Line has already signed contracts with Deltamarin Ltd and Tillberg Design.
The The Finnish naval architecture company, Deltamarin Ltd will be responsible for the design of the ship. Tillberg Design, a Swedish company, will be responsible for the architectural and design services for the ships’ interior. The launch of the New Titanic ship is planned for 2016. The construction will be done in China and the maiden voyage will be from Southampton to New York, as the unfinished one of the original RMS Titanic ship.
The last important step in the ambitious project was the Titanic II ship model test. It was held September 9-12, 2013 in Hamburg Ship Model Basin, HSVA, Germany.
Hamburg Ship Model Basin
Hamburg Ship Model Basin is a Germany company founded in 1913. At the time of Titanic II Ship model test, the company celebrated its 100-year anniversary.
The company in independent and private, specialized in hydrodynamic research and tests. Hamburg Ship Model Basin has customers all over the world. The staff is highly educated and trained to optimize any product or procedure. HSVA works for the aircraft industry too. The test facilities include:
- Large Towing Tank
- Ice Tank
- Hykat
- Environmental Tank
- Civitation Tunnels
- Small Towing Tank
Hamburg Ship Model Basin led the Titanic II ship model development. The procedures, methods, technology and standardization were predefined. Titanic II Ship model was the 5000th model that was tested in the HSVA’s facilities. Dr Uwe Hollenbach, HSVA Director of Resistance and Propulsion announced that HSVA are proud to be part of the RMS Titanic recreation.
Titanic II Ship Model Test
”Titanic II ship is a prototype as present day passenger vessels have a completely different type of main hull parameters and therefore are unsuitable as references. The speed and power performance model testing is one of the critical aspects for a prototype vessel and needs to be verified before a construction contract is completed. Self propulsion tests determine the optimal sense of wing propeller rotation, the neutral wing thruster angle and optimal load distribution between wing and center units”, Dr Uwe Hollenbach, HSVA Director of Resistance and Propulsion
The Titanic II ship model test was preceded by a christening ceremony. The ceremony was held at HSVA facility. Titanic II ship model was named by the HSVA Resistance & Propulsion Project Manager, Mrs Grete Ernst.
Guests of the ceremony were Uwe Hollenbach (HSVA Head of Resistance & Propulsion), Jurgen Friesch (HSVA Managing Director), Baljeet Singh (Titanin II ship World Project Director) and Markku Kanerva (Deltamarin Ltd Sales Director).
The Titanic II ship model was launched on a slipway by the traditional way.
The test was held in the period September 9-12, 2013. The Titanic II ship model is 9.3 m (30 ft) long wooden model of the vessel. The test was in lank with length of 300 m. The Titanic II ship model was pup through propulsion and power tests with speed up to 23 knots. There were open water and resistance tests.
According to Dr Hollenbach , the Titanic II ship model testing is reliable and accurate method for a prototype of a passenger ship and it is important to verify all the critical aspects before the start of the construction works.
The results will be ready in a few month. Clive Palmer strongly believes that the his dream will be launched in 2016. The project is only at stage ”Titanic II ship model” but there have already been received captains applications.