A flamboyant Australian billionaire has ordered a shipyard in China to build him an exact replica of the Titanic.
Mining magnate Clive Palmer has announced the luxury cruise ship will have the same dimensions as the original Titanic which sank on its maiden voyage 100 years ago.
"Many people have attempted to do it before but have failed because they didn't have the money to pay for it," Mr Palmer told reporters in Brisbane.
"We've got the money, we've got the shipyard and we're moving very heavily to commence construction to bring this ship into service."
Mr Palmer wants the ship to be built by state-owned Chinese company CSC Jinling Shipyard.
With the latest navigation and safety systems, Titanic II will sail in the northern hemisphere, with her maiden voyage from England to North America scheduled for late 2016.
Mr Palmer said the rebuild was a tribute to the spirit of the men and women who worked on the original Titanic, which sank after hitting an iceberg on April 15, 1912 and cost the lives of 1,514 passengers and crew.
