A project to construct a Sichuan version of the “Titanic”, funded by 1 billion RMB from a Chinese state-owned enterprise, has been ongoing for 11 years and has yet to be completed. Recently, videos showing its rusty state have been circulating online, sparking heated discussions about its unfinished condition.
According to a drone video uploaded by netizens on social media, a replica (or what the media calls a reproduction) of the “Titanic” is taking shape at a shipyard on the banks of the Qi River in Daying County, Sichuan Province, but it appears to be heavily rusted. The construction site looks desolate, with the ship model, surrounding scaffolding, and cranes all covered in rust, and no one present on-site.
Public records show that the so-called replica Titanic project is located in Daying County, Sichuan, funded by 1 billion RMB from the Seven Star Energy Investment Group, and being built by Wuchang Shipyard under China State Shipbuilding Corporation. The original plan was to finish construction within two years, with completion expected in August 2017.
At the time of its announcement, the model was said to be built to a 1:1 scale of the original ship, measuring 270 meters long, 28 meters wide, and 31.7 meters high from keel to bridge. The ship is set to consume a staggering 50,000 tons of steel. It was supposed to replicate all the functions of the Titanic, including a banquet hall, a theater, luxury first-class cabins, an observation deck, swimming pool, and more, aiming to recreate the authentic scenes of the Titanic.
However, since the project began in May 2014, the completion and delivery dates have been repeatedly postponed.
In 2024, according to “Da An News,” citizens inquiring with the Daying County government about the “Daying Titanic Project” being left unfinished were informed by the project management department, the Daying Dead Sea Tourism Resort, that due to a breakdown in funding from the investors, the project had been temporarily suspended.
On May 26th this year, a staff member of the Daying Dead Sea Tourism Resort Committee told reporters from “Da An News” that the project is currently at a standstill. When asked about the reasons for the project’s suspension, the staff member did not provide a direct response. However, when contacted by “Da An News,” the project’s investor and chairman of Seven Star Energy, Su Shaojun, denied that the project had been abandoned, claiming that it is “preparing to restart.”
When asked about the reasons for the project’s suspension and financial investment, Su Shaojun declined to disclose details over the phone.
The original Titanic cruise ship sank in the Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912, after hitting an iceberg, resulting in the loss of 1,523 lives, with only 711 lucky survivors.
Since the inception of this Sichuan version of the “Titanic,” it has been criticized for being a waste of resources. The exposure of its unfinished state has once again sparked discussions among netizens:
“What’s the point of such a meaningless and unrealistic imitation, just a waste of resources.”
“Is it just for taking photos and checking in?”
“Is there no more funding?”
“What is the purpose? There are plenty of large cruise ships already. Where did all the money go without achieving any results?”
“I heard about this construction project many years ago. It had slipped my mind until now, and now it’s left unfinished.”
“Similar to Guang’an’s cloud rail, which has never been operational, causing only traffic jams.”