abramovich chelsea yacht

Take a closer look at Russian oligarch's $700 million superyacht that is one of the largest in the world

• Roman Abramovich had seemingly scrambled to avoid sanctions from the UK by moving his superyachts.
• One of those is The Eclipse, which cost $700 million to build and was once the biggest in the world.
• That yacht was once in New York City and we took some photos.

Like other Russian oligarchs, Roman Abramovich had seemingly scrambled to avoid sanctions and that included quickly moving his superyachts to more friendly waters.

Many of the 55-year-old billionaire's assets — such as the Chelsea Football Club and several homes — have been sold or frozen since Russia launched an unprovoked war on Ukraine, Bloomberg reported . 

While Abramovich couldn't move the Premier League football club Chelsea FC and sold the $3 billion club , his yachts are another matter. 

Abramovich's 553-foot-long flagship is The Eclipse, estimated to have cost $700 million when built. After sanctions were initially dropped by the UK against Abramovich, his second "smaller" $600 million superyacht, Solaris, left Barcelona, Spain, and moved to friendlier waters in Turkey.

Solaris was joined in Turkey by The Eclipse, which arrived from the Caribbean .

While the superyacht Eclipse was photographed in Turkish waters in early August , it was once docked at Manhattan's Pier 90, and Robert Johnson was able to get some pictures. Take a tour of the superyacht below. 

Robert Johnson contributed to this post.

Just south of this public parking lot on the roof of the Pier 90 terminal in New York City sat Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich's flagship yacht, the "Eclipse."

536-feet long and styled after military vessels.

The 2010 Eclipse cost $700 million and was the world's largest yacht when built.

The vessel has amenities to rival any ship on the sea — like its own mini submersible, perhaps similar to this— able to dive down 150-feet.

The Eclipse has two helipads.

Bulletproof glass and armor plates wrap the length of Roman's master suite and the bridge.

And a German-built missile defense system.

The ship's also supposed to have a laser defense against paparazzi trying to photograph the yacht's guests, but saw no evidence of the device when we were there.

The Eclipse has three launch boats.

That looked to be stocked with medical supplies and a variety of handheld radios.

From the cruise ship parking lot it felt like we were almost on the Eclipse itself.

But with little chance we'd be invited aboard through the ship's door here ...

... We hoped to find one of the 70 crew members required to sail the Eclipse and see if they'd tell us what ship life was like.

But we found no one interested in talking.

But we certainly didn't feel like paparazzi, or that we'd be lasered, when we were in the parking lot tourists use when they arrive to board their cruise.

From up here, the ship was simply stunning and the amount of work required to keep her that way apparent.

The Yacht Report says owning a superyacht costs about 20% of the ship's initial value every year.

But experts believe that Roman probably pays $75 million a year to run the private cruise ship with 24-guest suites.

Looking at the layout of the ship gets us talking about the two swimming pools inside, the disco, cinema, hair salon, and restaurant.

The billionaire's guests would use this door to enter any fore part of the deck.

Perhaps noting where the life rings were as they made their way about the ship.

At 13,000 gross tons, the Eclipse was, at the time, the largest vessel to use a special stabilization system to keep it calm in rough waters while anchored or moving slowly through the sea.

Roman faced a $150,000 tab for parking the Eclipse in New York City while possibly visiting his daughter and her new baby — about $2,000 a day.

A large yacht like the Eclipse can hold over 100,000 gallons of fuel.

Depending on the current price of fuel, a five-hour cruise each way could cost about $30,000.

None of those numbers are likely to concern Roman Abramovich, however, who has an estimated net worth of nearly $8 billion.

Source: Forbes

Here is some drone footage of the superyacht.

You can see interior photos of the luxury yacht at Boat International

Step on board the 162.5m Eclipse - the second largest superyacht in the world

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Chelsea owner Abramovich’s second yacht also docks in Turkey

A view of Eclipse, a luxury yacht reported to belong to Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, docked at a port in the resort of Marmaris, Turkey, Tuesday, March 22, 2022. Turkish media reports say a second superyacht belonging to Chelsea soccer club owner and sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has docked in a resort in southwestern Turkey. The private DHA news agency said the Bermuda-registered Eclipse docked at a port in the resort of Marmaris on Tuesday. (IHA via AP)

Bermuda-flagged luxury yacht “Solaris” that belongs to Roman Abramovich sails near the Aegean coastal resort of Bodrum, Turkey, Monday, March 21, 2022. A yacht belonging to Chelsea soccer club owner and sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has docked in Turkey’s Aegean Sea resort of Bodrum, Turkish media reports said Monday, amid international moves to freeze assets belonging to top Russian businessmen with close links to the Kremlin. (IHA via AP)

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ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A second superyacht belonging to Chelsea soccer club owner and sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has docked in a resort in southwestern Turkey — a country which is not applying sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, Turkish media reports said Tuesday.

The private DHA news agency said the Bermuda-registered Eclipse docked at a port in the resort of Marmaris, amid international efforts to freeze assets belonging to top Russian businessmen linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

A day earlier, Abramovich’s Bermuda-flagged luxury yacht My Solaris arrived in the nearby resort of Bodrum, triggering a protest by a group of Ukrainians who boarded a small motor boat and tried to prevent the yacht from docking.

Last week, the European Union updated a list of individuals facing asset freezes and travel bans over their ties to the Kremlin and began imposing sanctions on Abramovich. The 55-year-old had already been punished in Britain.

NATO-member Turkey has close ties to both Russia and Ukraine. It has criticized Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine but has also positioned itself as a neutral party trying to mediate between the two.

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Superyachts tracked: Abramovich’s boat heads east after sanctions

Solaris is tracked off coast of Sicily, joining hurried sailings of Russian yachts to avoid seizure

• Ukraine-Russia war – latest updates
• The oligarchs and business figures on western sanction lists

Roman Abramovich’s superyacht Solaris was heading east across the Mediterranean on Thursday after sanctions were extended to the Chelsea FC owner.

His $600m vessel, tracked off the coast of Sicily on Thursday, appeared to have joined the hurried sailings of Russian oligarchs moving their superyachts across the world to avoid seizure by governments enforcing sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Solaris left the Barcelona port where it had been undergoing repairs on Tuesday, according to Reuters, and by Thursday afternoon it was rounding the southern coast of Sicily. Abramovich’s other yacht, the even more luxurious Eclipse – estimated to be worth more than $1bn after extensive renovations – set sail east from the Caribbean island of St Maarten towards international waters shortly after other oligarchs’ yachts were seized.

The Eclipse had crossed much of the Atlantic by midday Thursday when it was located to the west of the Canary Islands according to vesselfinder.com.

Abramovich was sanctioned by the US in 2018 but joined the UK list on Thursday morning. A spokesperson for Abramovich said earlier this week: “We never comment on the movements of the yacht or any other vehicles or vessels.”

The 163-metre Eclipse, which includes nine decks, two helipads and a 16-metre swimming pool that can be converted into a dancefloor, is the most expensive vessel owned by individuals on the growing US, EU and UK sanction lists.

Many super-rich Russians – including some not yet on the sanctions list, but with links to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin – appear to be attempting to move their superyachts to countries without formal extradition agreements with western governments.

French and Italian authorities last week seized three yachts worth more than $225m (£170m).

Tracking data from the shipping intelligence service MarineTraffic shows that Titan, a $100m superyacht owned by Alexander Abramov, a billionaire iron and steel magnate, arrived in Maldives waters last week after sailing from Fethiye in Turkey. Its owner, who holds a big stake alongside Abramovich in the London-listed coal and steel group Evraz, is not on any sanctions lists.

Clio, a $65m superyacht owned by the aluminium billionaire Oleg Deripaska, who has been subject to US sanctions since 2018, was reported last week to be heading for Raa Atoll in the Maldives. The Maldives is an Indian Ocean island nation with no extradition treaty with the US or the EU.

The US president, Joe Biden, said last week the US was actively working to seize the superyachts, luxury apartments and private jets of oligarchs linked to Putin. “We are coming for your ill-begotten gains,” he said in his State of the Union address .

The White House spokesperson, Jen Psaki, added: “We want [Putin] to feel the squeeze, we want the people around him to feel the squeeze.”

Three ways you can help the people of Ukraine from the UK

Support local charities

There are several Ukrainian charities working on the ground.  Sunflower of Peace  is a charity that helps paramedics and doctors, and has been fundraising for supplies, which includes first aid medical tactical backpacks.

United Help Ukraine  focuses on providing medical supplies and humanitarian aid, and raising awareness of the conflict.

Voices of Children  aims to help children affected by the war in eastern Ukraine, providing support through art therapy, psychologists, video storytelling and a number of other methods.

The  British Red Cross  has launched an emergency appeal to help Ukraine. The charity will be updating its webpage with news on the work its team is doing, and how support will be used to help people.

Support local journalism

English-language news outlets based in the country, such as  Kyiv Independent  and the  New Voice of Ukraine , are covering developments on the ground as the conflict unfolds, using local journalists. The Kyiv Independent says it was created by journalists in order to defend editorial independence. This  site on Twitter  covers many local journalists in Ukraine.

Write to your local MP

This can be a way to lobby the British government to place further sanctions on the Russian government and its associates. You can get in touch with your local MP via email or post to their constituency address. Instructions on how to get in touch can be found on  parliament.uk.

Grant Shapps, the UK transport secretary, said the government would detain any yachts suspected of being Russian-owned if they entered UK waters. “I want to make it impossible for individuals with links to Putin to use their aircraft in UK airspace, at UK airports or airfields, and any aircraft suspected of being linked to Russia will be detained,” he said. “Likewise, their yachts. Any of these floating gin palaces with an identifiable Russian connection will be detained if it attempts to dock in a British port.”

France detained Amore Vero , a 280ft, $120m superyacht they said was owned by Igor Sechin, in the Mediterranean port of La Ciotat. Sechin, who is also facing sanctions, is the chief executive of the Russian oil producer Rosneft and a close ally of Putin. Amore Vero, which means “true love” in Italian, can accommodate 14 guests and 28 crew.

French police, who boarded the vessel at night last week, said the ship was in port for repairs, but its crew were “making arrangements to leave in a hurry, without having completed the planned work”.

Italy’s Guardia di Finanza boarded and impounded Lena , a 41-metre, $45m yacht owned by Gennady Timchenko, a close friend of Putin who has an estimated $21bn fortune held in several large Russian raw materials companies, in Sanremo. Lady M, a 64-metre, $60m yacht owned by Alexei Mordashov, was seized in the nearby Ligurian port of Imperia.

Dilbar , the world’s largest superyacht by gross tonnage, which the US government said is owned by Alisher Usmanov , was reported to have been seized in Hamburg. However, German authorities later clarified that the 156-metre vessel, which has been valued at $600m, has not been impounded but requires an export waiver to leave the port.

Usmanov, who reportedly owns Witanhurst, the second biggest private home in the UK after Buckingham Palace, was added to the EU’s sanction list on Wednesday. The US imposed sanctions on him last week after the White House described him as a “one of Russia’s wealthiest individuals and a close ally of Putin”.

The yachts identified by the Guardian as linked to oligarchs are worth more than $3bn. The ultimate ownership of superyachts can be difficult to confirm as many are owned through shell companies registered in tax havens.

Additional reporting by Pamela Duncan , Joanna Partridge and Georgina Quach

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Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich’s Two Superyachts Are Sailing Towards Each Other in the Mediterranean

Ship tracking platforms show that the billionaire’s yachts "eclipse" and "solaris" are relocating to the mediterranean, with no port destination specified., emma reynolds, emma reynolds's most recent stories.

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Russian oligarch and billionaire Roman Abramovich is on the move—and so are his superyachts.

After being slapped with sanctions in response to Russia ’s invasion of Ukraine, the billionaire was last seen on March 14 at an airport in Israel, where he has dual citizenship, according to Reuters .

Abramovich, who is currently worth an estimated $7.1 billion, according to Forbes , appears to be moving his yachts to safer waters. His 533-foot superyacht Eclipse , normally anchored year-round in the Caribbean, has been sailing east towards the Mediterranean since February 21, according to global ship tracking platform MarineTraffic. As of Wednesday, the ship is located off the coast of Algeria and is still sailing east with no port destination specified. The yacht, estimated to be worth over $600 million, is one of the largest and most expensive in the world , and seems to be cruising towards Abramovich’s other yacht, Solaris , in the Ionian Sea.

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Roman Abramovich’s “Solaris” superyacht.  Courtesy of Lloyd Werft

The 461-foot Solaris  is currently located in the Ionian Sea off the western coast of Greece and heading south. Solaris was most recently at a port in Barcelona, where it had reportedly been receiving repairs since late 2021 . The ship left without declaring a destination. However, it’s possible both Solaris and Eclipse are heading towards each other and are even eyeing ports in Israel where Abramovich is considered safe from sanctions.

Though a long-time ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Abramovich has denied having close ties to the Kremlin. This hasn’t stopped dozens of nations, including the US, UK and several EU countries, from implementing sanctions and asset freezes on the oligarch. The sanctions are part of a concerted multinational effort to pressure Russia’s wealthiest and most powerful individuals to help bring Russia’s war on Ukraine to an end.

Perhaps sensing the economic pressures to come, Abramovich made headlines just days after the Ukraine invasion for stating his intention to sell his beloved Chelsea Football Club in London for $2.5 billion. The billionaire said all proceeds would benefit Ukrainian refugees and “victims of the war,” which, notably, may also include Russian soldiers.

Russian oligarch and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich appears to be seeking cover from international sanctions in Israel, where he has dual citizenship.  Associated Press

Russians own up to 10 percent of the world’s megayachts, so Abramovich is just one of many Russian billionaires who are moving their assets to avoid seizure by international authorities. This week, Italian police seized Russian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko’s 486-foot Sailing Yacht A, and earlier this month, France impounded the yacht Amore Vero , owned by Russian oil billionaire Igor Sechin. Other Russian billionaires have had their yachts impounded in other EU countries.

This isn’t the first time Russian oligarchs’ whereabouts have been made public. Florida teen Jack Sweeney, who once tracked Elon Musk’s jet, created a Twitter account —@RUOligarchJets—dedicated to tracking the private jets of Russian oligarchs, which is updated daily.

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Roman abramovich: first images of chelsea owner's £430 million yacht emerge.

Chelsea's Abramovich is one of the richest owners in world football

Roman Abramovich isn't exactly short of money.

Besides, this is the man who commands one of the world's biggest football clubs and ploughs tens of millions into their coffers each season to keep them competing for the Premier League title.

But when the Russian billionaire isn't keeping the Chelsea war chest topped up, you can rest assured that he's enjoying the perks of being, well, a Russian billionaire.

Abramovich's riches

However, of all the perks that come with having money coming out of your ears - as a sports journalist, I would know, obviously - owning a yacht seems to be pretty high on the list for Abramovich.

Now, we don't pretend to be experts in the world of yachting, but I think most football fans around the world are aware that Abramovich has one of the most formidable armadas on the high seas.

And it seems as though Abramovich isn't satisfied with his current fleet of yachts because he's adding a new luxury vessel to his collection that will set him back a cool £430 million.

New yacht 'Solaris'

According to The Sun , Abramovich's new yacht, named Solaris, is nearing completion and has been photographed for the very first time.

The vessel's two advanced electric engines are set to make it the most powerful yacht in the world and it boasts no less than eight decks which, naturally, includes a helicopter pad.

It can reach a top speed of 18 knots, has a gross tonnage of 11,000 and is 140 metres in length.

Photo credit: Carl Groll/TheYachtPhoto.com

But Solaris is about more than just power and landing sites, boasting an astonishing 48 cabins that can accommodate 36 passengers as well as a pool, outdoor beach club, jacuzzi and spa.

The luxury vehicle, which is said to be approaching its first sea trials, will be manned by 60 crew members and could be ready for Abramovich in the summer.

A source told The Sun: "This will be the yacht of the year when she is launched later this year. Details are being kept top secret but she will be a magnificent addition for the owner.

"To give you an idea of the size of Solaris the yacht shed she is being built in is bigger and taller than Buckingham Palace so you have some idea of the dimensions.''

Wowsers. Pretty swish then. Has anyone got one available for, say, £30? Anyone? Anyone???

Where are Roman Abramovich's yachts as Chelsea owner has assets frozen by UK government

Chelsea news: The Russian billionaire has owned a number of yachts in recent years with the movements of them all known using tracking data

• 11:23, 10 MAR 2022

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Roman Abramovich has owned a number of super yachts during his time as Chelsea owner.

And it is always interesting to note where in the world they are located during the year.

That is even more pertinent now, given the Russian oligarch has been sanctioned by the UK government for reported close ties with Vladimir Putin, which Abramovich vehemently denies, and had his assets frozen.

That would appear to rule out the sale of the football cub , which Abramovich confirmed was his intention last week, although the Blues could still be sold if the UK government take the lead in selling it .

So where in the world are the two super-yachts that we know are linked to Abramovich now?

The £448million Eclipse yacht, that Abramovich bought in 2010 has been cruising in the Caribbean Sea near the British Virgin Islands for the past week.

However, Abramovich's £456million newer yacht Solaris has recently been moved.

According to Reuters , the super-yacht had been in Barcelona undergoing repairs, but was moved on Tuesday evening, with Marine Traffic saying it is now cruising in the Mediterranean near Sicily.

A spokeswoman for Abramovich told Reuters: "We never comment on the movements of the yacht or any other vehicles or vessels."

Abramovich had all of his assets frozen by the UK government on Thursday, with the club banned from selling tickets to home or away fans.

Stamford Bridge will only host season ticket holders moving forward, but the club shop also closed and any contract talks or transfers placed on hold.

For all the latest Abramovich news as it happens, check out our live blog right here .

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Roman Abramovich's superyacht Solaris heads for Turkey as oligarch Chelsea owner gets assets out of Europe

One of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's superyachts, Solaris, is heading for Turkey, while a second, Eclipse, is off the coast off Algeria. Another Russian oligarch, Andrey Melnichenko, recently had a £444m superyacht seized by Italian authorities as part of EU sanctions.

By Jason Farell, Sky News correspondent, in Istanbul

Thursday 17 March 2022 10:44, UK

Roman Abramovich appears to be on a mission to get his assets out of Europe as sanctions tighten.

His superyacht Solaris, worth £430m, is heading south, apparently towards Turkey , after docking in Montenegro on Sunday. Previously, it had been at a repair yard in Barcelona - and had it remained there it might well have been seized by now.

Abramovich has been named on the fourth package of European Union sanctions that will see assets frozen for those Russian super rich considered to be linked to President Vladimir Putin.

Follow live updates on Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Due to sanctions passed last week, any cash or property the Chelsea FC owner holds in the UK are now frozen. His shares on the London stock exchange cannot be sold and won't pay dividends, and he can no longer benefit from the planned £3bn sale of the club. He is also banned from entering the UK.

Abramovich's journey back to Russia

Abramovich's second superyacht, Eclipse, is off the coast of Algeria. Its closest European port is Italy - where another oligarch, Andrey Melnichenko, recently had a £444m superyacht seized by authorities as part of EU sanctions.

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On Sunday night, Abramovich made a whistle-stop trip to Israel, where he is a citizen. Israel currently has no sanctions on Russian oligarchs, and the billionaire owns property in the country.

He was photographed at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport on Monday afternoon before flying for a brief stop in Istanbul; Turkey is another possible safe destination for Russian money. From Istanbul his private Gulfstream G650ER jet - registration LX-Ray - flew to Moscow in the early hours of Tuesday morning .

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Turkish businessman Muhsin Bayrak claims to have met Abramovich, last week, to discuss buying Chelsea. A spokesperson for Mr Bayrak says another meeting was planned later this week.

Despite the British government freezing £3.2bn of his UK assets, including the west London club, it is thought Abramovich could still play a role in the sale, but only on the basis that he does not personally profit from it.

It is not clear whether Mr Bayrak, who made his money in energy, real estate, and cryptocurrency, has the funds to make the purchase.

What is happening with the Chelsea sale?

The British government is open to a sale and wishes to minimalise impact on the club and its fans, but Chelsea is required to approach the government with a proposal before a new licence is granted. Its primary condition is that Abramovich does not financially benefit from any sale.

Read more: How sanctions on Abramovich will affect Chelsea fans

Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale on 2 March, pledging to write off £1.5bn of debt and to divert all proceeds to a new foundation to benefit victims of the war in Ukraine .

The government sanctioned him, claiming to have proved his direct links to Mr Putin's regime. Abramovich has always denied any association.

On Tuesday, a further 370 new sanctions were announced by the UK government - bringing the total to more than 1,000 individuals, entities and subsidiaries now under the Russia sanctions regime since the invasion of Ukraine.

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Nigel Huddleston, the minister for sport, told a committee of MPs: "We are working with Chelsea and the fans that the measures we have put in place primarily impact Roman Abramovich and make sure he does not benefit, whilst making sure that where possible we can reduce the impact on the fans and make sure Chelsea can still continue.

"Can the government allow an entity to fail? Yes, it can, whether it's sport or football or anything else, but what we want to do is make sure the impact of sanctions hits those we want."

Looking to the future, he told the digital, culture, media and sport select committee: "We do recognise there is a need for further refinement and more robust owners' and directors' tests and the integrity element of that is something that is being pushed."

In other developments:

• More than 100,000 Britons register interest to house Ukrainian refugees • UK announces sanctions against 350 more Russian nationals and entities • UK bans luxury goods exports to Russia and hikes import tariffs on products - including vodka • Briton who travelled to warzone to join military fight against Russia leaves over 'suicide mission' fears • Employee interrupts Russian news programme with anti-war slogan

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Chelsea owner Abramovich’s luxury yacht docks in Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A yacht belonging to Chelsea soccer club owner and sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has docked in Turkey’s Aegean Sea resort of Bodrum, Turkish media reports said Monday, amid international moves to freeze assets belonging to top Russian businessmen with close links to the Kremlin.

Turkey’s private NTV television said the Bermuda-flagged luxury yacht Solaris docked at the southern port in Turkey — which has not joined sanctions on Russia — after departing from Montenegro.

A group of Ukrainians carrying Ukrainian flags with the words “No War” emblazoned on them boarded a small motor boat and tried to prevent the yacht from docking, the Sozcu newspaper reported.

It was not known if Abramovich was aboard the yacht or if it was moved to Turkey to avoid sanctions.

Last week, the European Union imposed sanctions on Abramovich as it updated a list of individuals facing asset freezes and travel bans over their ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government, which has sent the Russian military to invade Ukraine. Abramovich had already been punished in Britain.

NATO-member Turkey has close ties to both Russia and Ukraine. It has criticized Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine but has also positioned itself as a neutral party trying to mediate between the two.

Turkey has closed the Turkish Straits connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea to most Russian warships but has not imposed sanctions on Russia or shut down its airspace to Russian flights.

Last week, Abramovich arrived in Istanbul from Jerusalem aboard his private jet before departing for Moscow the next morning.

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Roman Abramovich’s luxury yachts, from Chelsea owner’s new £430m Solaris to the £1BILLION Eclipse

• Published : 4:37 ET, Mar 9 2022
• Updated : 4:43 ET, Mar 10 2022
• Published : Invalid Date,

ROMAN ABRAMOVICH certainly doesn't do things in halves.

The Chelsea owner, worth a cool £10bn, was sanctioned by the UK government as part of attempts to crackdown on wealthy Russians with assets in the UK - but what yachts does he own?

The Russian, 55, who has faced calls to be barred from owning Chelsea and his £152m home amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine , must love travelling by sea.

He has had a private navy of yachts - with SunSport believing Solaris to be his EIGHTH over the years.

The latest yacht was completed last year and is believed to have cost £430million to build .

A 460ft beast of the sea, it features eight decks, as well as a helicopter pad and was seen cruising the French Riviera last summer.

The yacht was built at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany and the shed it was constructed in was larger than Buckingham Palace.

Solaris has 48 cabins, accommodating up to 36 passengers, and a crew of 60 plus and boasts two advanced engines to be the most powerful yacht in the world.

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Roman's current superyacht , the Eclipse - with all the work that's been done to it - is said to now be worth £1billion.

Built in 2010, it was completely rebuilt in 2015 to cater for the high-spec needs of a multi-billionaire.

Incredibly, the 553ft Eclipse has its own missile defence system - should it come under attack.

There are 24 guest cabins, two swimming pools, hot tubs, a sauna, and even a nightclub.

It also boasts a cinema, conference room, children's playroom, hair salon, and a mini-submarine that can dive to 50m. Yes, that's right. It's a yacht that boasts its own submarine.

LE GRAND BLEU

Worth £135million, Le Grand Bleu was once Roman's pride and joy.

Twenty guests can stay in luxury onboard, and enjoy it's many amenities.

Astonishingly, as is the theme with these yachts, there are more boats on board.

As well as a 73-foot sailboat, guests can also enjoy taking a 68-foot powerboat for a spin. And there are two more boats in its internal garage on top of that.

It is now owned by Abramovich's friend Eugene Schvidler.

Currently available to buy for £16million, the Sussurro is now over 20 years old.

It was built by Feadship, measures over 163 feet long and boasts six luxury cabins that can house 12 guests.

Rarely used, it has been reported that the Sussorro was given to Roman's ex-wife Irina Malandina, as part of a divorce settlement.

With 15,000 combined horsepower, it is capable of reaching speeds of 46 knots.

Valued at around £110million, the Ecstasea is still one of the fastest superyachts around - boasting 43,000 horsepower and measuring 282-feet.

Abramovich was the original owner from 2004, before it was sold to Pakistani businessman Alshair Fiyaz in 2009.

There's room for 14 guests, can be staffed by a crew of 25, and can be reached by helicopter, which can park on one of two helipads.

The Ecstasea suffered damage in 2019 when it clipped the Simpson Bay Bridge in the Caribbean island of St Maarten.

So that's what £270million gets you.

Built in 2003, the 377-foot long Pelorus was briefly owned by a Saudi Arabian businessman before Abramovich got his hands on it in 2004.

A year later, he lent it to Chelsea legends John Terry and Frank Lampard for two weeks as a bonus for helping the club win Roman's first Premier League as owner.

Then in 2007 he allowed Terry and his wife Toni to enjoy their honeymoon on board.

However, it was also reportedly handed to Irina in the divorce settlement, who sold it to American film exec David Geffen in 2011.

Currently the second largest expedition yacht in the world, the Luna was delivered to Roman in 2010.

It boats 10 VIP cabins, that are 100 square metres each, as well as a 20-metre outdoor pool.

Like the Eclipse, it also has an anti-missile system, as well as bulletproof windows.

In 2014, it was sold to Azerbaijani billionaire Farkhad Akhmedov for £210 million.

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Roman Abramovich’s Yachts: Everything You Want To Know

You may be familiar with the jet setting lifestyle of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, owner of the Chelsea football club, who has an estimated net worth of over $8 billion. He’s not just rich, he’s a man who loves yachts and loves them a lot. Not only does he own the Eclipse, the most expensive yacht in the world, he owns 15 other yachts that we know of. Clearly this is a man who enjoys ship life. Other Russian oligarchs like private jets, Abramovich likes private boats.

Up until 2023 it was believed Abramovich owned a mere 6 vessels, but new information bumps that number up significantly. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable examples of the vessels in the fleet and what we know about them.

The Eclipse Yacht

Roman Abramovich has the distinction of owning the most expensive yacht in the world, the Eclipse. It was built in Hamburg by Blohm and Voss in 2010 and was recently seen in Turkey where it is likely avoiding international sanctions against Russian billionaires which would confiscate the vessel.

How Expensive is the Roman Abramovich Yacht Eclipse?

The superyacht Eclipse is obviously the flagship of Abramovich’s fleet and it’s believed the initial construction price was $427 million. Though that’s obviously very expensive it wouldn’t technically make this the most expensive yacht in the world. However, rumor has it that Abramovich had custom additions put on the yacht including a security system fit for a small army, which boosted the total cost to $1.5 billion.

How Big is the Eclipse Yacht

For some years, the Eclipse was the world’s largest yacht at 533-feet. Other yachts have since surpassed that length but obviously it’s still an absolutely enormous vessel. It has a gross tonnage of 13,000 GT and a beam of just over 72 feet. It is the largest vessel Abramovich owns.

How Fast is the Eclipse Yacht?

It’s believed the Eclipse has a top speed of about 22 knots. This is provided by four MTU 20V 1163 TB93 diesel engines.

What is the Eclipse Like on the Inside?

The interior of the Eclipse is well guarded and not many people have been on board. That said, there are some things we do know about the vessel and what Abramovich has had installed. To start with, the yacht has not one but two helicopter landing pads. It also has its own mini submersible and previously it had been reported that there were 3 landing boats but now we know that he has 8 support vessels of various kinds for the yacht.

There are quarters to house as many as 70 crew members making this yacht essentially a private cruise ship in terms of staffing and amenities. There is room for 36 guests as well.

It is rumored that the yacht has two swimming pools on board including one that is nearly 50 feet long, plus several hot tubs scattered throughout. The large pool has a retractable glass sunroof. The 18 guest rooms are said to contain full home 6-foot cinema screens for private viewings. For a group experience, the bow of the ship is also a cinema with a massive screen. Each guest room, of which there are 24, has its own jacuzzi and private security system.

There are spas on board and a disco as well, and unusual amenities like a full size pantry and gullwing doors that pull up to reveal a barbecue and pizza oven. The yacht’s guests can also enjoy an 830 square foot gym, massage room, beauty salon, beach club, sauna and portholes that offer a view inside the large pool. There’s even a wood-burning fire pit on the main deck for campfires. 

The ceiling in the 5,000 square foot master suite opens like a retractable dome in a sports stadium to give passengers a view of the night sky if they so desire.

The security on Eclipse is one of the things that gets talked about a lot and what is known about it is impressive. To start, the glass is all bulletproof. The hull is armor plated to prevent damage from direct attacks. There is an anti-paparazzi system installed which prevents digital cameras from taking photos when they’re aimed at the vessel, which is why you’ll see so few photos of it when it’s in use. Finally, there’s a sophisticated missile detection system that is able to detect missile attacks and launch its own counter attacks. So, yes, this yacht apparently has missile launchers on board, something usually reserved for military vessels.

What Other Yachts or Launch Boats Does Abramovich Own?

Journalists recently discovered that the Russian billionaire owns 16 yachts , about 10 more than previously known. Eight of these vessels are support ships for the Eclipse which was previously thought to just have three launch boats as support. These are the remaining 7.

The second most expensive yacht in Abramovich’s fleet, Solaris is 458 feet long, 11,011 tons and had a reported price tag of $475 million. Other sources say this is actually a $600 million vessel. It has room for 36 passengers in 18 cabins as well as crew quarters to handle up to 60 crew members at a time. These are just estimates based on the size and design of the yacht, however, as Abramovich is notoriously private when it comes to secure matters like these. This large yacht may have swimming pools inside and other amenities but little has been published in any yacht report about those features.

The top speed of the yacht is listed at 18 to 20 knots with a cruising speed of 14 knots and it features not just a pool but a helicopter landing pad on deck. Propulsion is provided by the largest ABB Azipod propulsion package ever used in a private yacht.

It’s said to contain over 2,000 square meters of glass including the largest panes ever used in a superyacht. 

The yacht, at last report, was moored in Turkey where it is not subject to international sanctions that have been levied against the Russian oligarch.

This would be Abramovich’s third most expensive yacht coming in at $38 million and 180 feet long. Designed by Amels, it is sometimes available for charter and can house 12 guests and 13 crew in its quarters. The yacht has a top speed of 15.5 knots and a range of 4,500 nautical miles The cruising speed is 13 knots.

The Garcon is actually larger than the Halo but costs less. It reportedly had a $20 million price tag but clocked in at 220 feet. Made by Damen Yachting, this is sometimes used as a support vessel as it was by its previous owner. It has space for 21 people in total.

The Garcon is a much faster yacht than some of its size, powered by 4 Caterpillar engines, that can reach 25 knots at full throttle. Normal cruising speed is 18 knots.

This is a $1 million Bluegame yacht that measures just a fraction of his larger boats, coming in at 40 feet.

Little is known about this particular yacht other than it measures 80 feet and was reported to have cost Abramovich $3 million.

This 162-foot, $11 million yacht has been moored in La Ciotat on the French Riviera since 2022. It was built in 1998 and features a 27.5 foot beam.  The vessel is powered by Paxman + Textron engines which produce 3442 hp each giving Sussurro a maximum speed of 46 knots and a cruising speed of 20 knots making it one of the fastest yachts of its size in the world.

Moored in the Netherlands, this yacht measures 164-foot and reportedly cost $30 million. Powered by MTU diesel engines the vessel has a top speed of 23 knots. There is room on board for 12 guests in 5 staterooms, as well as a crew of 9.

The Bottom Line

Roman Abramovich owns the world’s most expensive yacht, the Eclipse, as well as many other yachts that, until recently, were hidden assets. Because of international sanctions against Russian oligarchs due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many of his yachts are subject to seizure in various countries so ownership of them was hard to determine. Even now it’s speculated he may own many others.

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Roman Abramovich moves £430million super-yacht after Alisher Usmanov has his seized

The Chelsea owner could potentially face sanctions from the UK government as soon as next week as his relationship with Vladimir Putin comes under the spotlight

• 14:38, 9 Mar 2022
• Updated 10:17, 10 Mar 2022

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has moved his super-yacht from a shipyard in Barcelona where it had been undergoing repairs, as shown by tracking data.

The super-yacht only took to the sea as recently as last year and is just one of many in the collection of the Chelsea football club owner .

The 460-foot £430million Solaris left the port of a Barcelona shipyard just after 5pm local time on Tuesday evening, though the company that were taking care of it have declined to comment on its movement.

It was a similar story with Abramovich's team, a spokesperson for the Russian billionaire claiming: "We never comment on the movements of the yacht or any other vehicles or vessels."

Abramovich owns another yacht, named Eclipse, that had previously been docked in Barcelona, but is now in the Caribbean Sea near the British Virgin Islands

CHELSEA LIVE UPDATES: Follow the latest news and fall-out as Roman Abramovich is sanctioned.

The boat has been at that same location since late last year and the timing of the movement has raised question marks given the backdrop of controversy following Abramovich.

The 55-year-old has been the subject of intense scrutiny due to his relationship with Russian president Vladimir Putin following his decision to invade Ukraine over a week ago.

Alisher Usmanov had his 512ft yacht seized by German authorities in Hamburg just two days before he both faced sanctions and saw all commercial ties he had with Everton football club cut.

Usmanov had bought his super-yacht for a staggering £447.5million sum back in 2016.

It had originally been docked in Germany for maintenance but is now in the possession of the authorities after the 68-year-old was hit by sanctions.

His company USM had enjoyed a business relationship with the Toffees while club owner Farhad Moshiri was the chairman of USM Holdings..

Everton released a statement that read: "Everyone at Everton remains shocked and saddened by the appalling events unfolding in Ukraine.

"This tragic situation must end as soon as possible, and any further loss of life must be avoided.

"The players, coaching staff and everyone working at Everton is providing full support to our player Vitalii Mykolenko and his family and will continue to do so.

"The club can confirm that it has suspended with immediate effect all commercial sponsorship arrangements with the Russian companies USM, Megafon and Yota."

According to Reuters , the European Commission has lined-up a new set of sanctions against Russia and Belarus over the invasion of Ukraine that will impact additional Russian oligarchs and politicians as well as three Belarusian banks.

There remains three other super-yachts owned by Russian oligarchs still in the Barcelona ship-yard.

MORE ON Reuters AG European Commission Alisher Usmanov Roman Abramovich Vladimir Putin Chelsea FC Billionaires

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Roman Abramovich’s luxury yachts, from Chelsea owner’s new £430m Solaris to the £1BILLION Eclipse

• Published : 9:37, 9 Mar 2022
• Updated : 9:41, 10 Mar 2022
• Published : Invalid Date,

ROMAN ABRAMOVICH certainly doesn't do things in halves.

The Chelsea owner, worth a cool £10bn, was sanctioned by the UK government as part of attempts to crackdown on wealthy Russians with assets in the UK - but what yachts does he own?

The Russian, 55, who has faced calls to be barred from owning Chelsea and his £152m home amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine , must love travelling by sea.

He has had a private navy of yachts - with SunSport believing Solaris to be his EIGHTH over the years.

The latest yacht was completed last year and is believed to have cost £430million to build .

A 460ft beast of the sea, it features eight decks, as well as a helicopter pad and was seen cruising the French Riviera last summer.

The yacht was built at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany and the shed it was constructed in was larger than Buckingham Palace.

Solaris has 48 cabins, accommodating up to 36 passengers, and a crew of 60 plus and boasts two advanced engines to be the most powerful yacht in the world.

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Roman's current superyacht , the Eclipse - with all the work that's been done to it - is said to now be worth £1billion.

Built in 2010, it was completely rebuilt in 2015 to cater for the high-spec needs of a multi-billionaire.

Incredibly, the 553ft Eclipse has its own missile defence system - should it come under attack.

There are 24 guest cabins, two swimming pools, hot tubs, a sauna, and even a nightclub.

It also boasts a cinema, conference room, children's playroom, hair salon, and a mini-submarine that can dive to 50m. Yes, that's right. It's a yacht that boasts its own submarine.

LE GRAND BLEU

Worth £135million, Le Grand Bleu was once Roman's pride and joy.

Twenty guests can stay in luxury onboard, and enjoy it's many amenities.

Astonishingly, as is the theme with these yachts, there are more boats on board.

As well as a 73-foot sailboat, guests can also enjoy taking a 68-foot powerboat for a spin. And there are two more boats in its internal garage on top of that.

It is now owned by Abramovich's friend Eugene Schvidler.

Currently available to buy for £16million, the Sussurro is now over 20 years old.

It was built by Feadship, measures over 163 feet long and boasts six luxury cabins that can house 12 guests.

Rarely used, it has been reported that the Sussorro was given to Roman's ex-wife Irina Malandina, as part of a divorce settlement.

With 15,000 combined horsepower, it is capable of reaching speeds of 46 knots.

Valued at around £110million, the Ecstasea is still one of the fastest superyachts around - boasting 43,000 horsepower and measuring 282-feet.

Abramovich was the original owner from 2004, before it was sold to Pakistani businessman Alshair Fiyaz in 2009.

There's room for 14 guests, can be staffed by a crew of 25, and can be reached by helicopter, which can park on one of two helipads.

The Ecstasea suffered damage in 2019 when it clipped the Simpson Bay Bridge in the Caribbean island of St Maarten.

So that's what £270million gets you.

Built in 2003, the 377-foot long Pelorus was briefly owned by a Saudi Arabian businessman before Abramovich got his hands on it in 2004.

A year later, he lent it to Chelsea legends John Terry and Frank Lampard for two weeks as a bonus for helping the club win Roman's first Premier League as owner.

Then in 2007 he allowed Terry and his wife Toni to enjoy their honeymoon on board.

However, it was also reportedly handed to Irina in the divorce settlement, who sold it to American film exec David Geffen in 2011.

Currently the second largest expedition yacht in the world, the Luna was delivered to Roman in 2010.

It boats 10 VIP cabins, that are 100 square metres each, as well as a 20-metre outdoor pool.

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Like the Eclipse, it also has an anti-missile system, as well as bulletproof windows.

In 2014, it was sold to Azerbaijani billionaire Farkhad Akhmedov for £210 million.

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A look at the most luxurious superyachts of Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich

If one has to get a glimpse of what money can buy, the yachts of Roman Abramovich would perhaps be an excellent indicator. The Chelsea football club owner is renowned for his love of some of the world’s most beautiful sailing vessels whose majestic interiors can rival those of European palaces.

Roman Abramovich can buy any number of ships or yachts he wants. After all, Forbes estimates his net worth at around US$14.6 billion (as of 31 August 2021).

Besides Chelsea FC, the Russian-origin Israeli citizen has stakes in steel giant Evraz and mining company Norilsk Nickel. In 2005, Abramovich made US$13 billion by selling his 73 percent stake in the Russian oil firm, Sibneft, to Gazprom.

Abramovich was the governor of the Chukotka region in the Russian Far East from 2001 to 2013. During the period, he spent US$2.5 billion on the development of the region.

The billionaire’s fascination with gigantic luxury yachts is a reflection of the automotive toys, ranging from supercars to some of the swankiest private jets, the ultra-rich love to splurge on.

While Abramovich’s fleet will soon have a new member, Solaris , the current crown jewel among his vessels is Eclipse — one of the world’s three largest yachts. There are others that he either owns or has sold off.

The boats are examples of excellent design. They are sleek, powerful, easily manoeuvrable, well-balanced and technologically advanced.

Roman Abramovich is only 54 years old and consistently adds to his wealth from investments and ownerships. While he narrows down to his future spectacle, let’s take a look at some of the past and present gems of his private collection of superyachts.

Roman Abramovich’s superyachts ranked by size and amenities

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• Le Grand Bleu

Superyacht Solaris is close to completion and will be Roman Abramovich’s new craft on the waters once it is launched. Though not much is known about the boat, the Solaris was photographed during the second of its sea trials in the North Sea and attracted media attention.

SuperYacht Times reports that the Solaris is designed by Australian interior designer Marc Newson and built by Lloyd Werft, a German shipyard. It has a helipad and outdoor beach club setup at the stern (rear of a sailing craft). It also has a swimming pool.

It has two nine megawatts Azipods, which, according to SuperYacht Times , are the most powerful ever fitted on a yacht. The Solaris has eight decks, and it can reportedly accommodate a staff of 60 and 36 passengers in its 18 super luxurious cabins. It is estimated to cost US$600 million.

Nonetheless, the Solaris , which measures around 140 metres, is not the largest yacht in Abramovich’s armada — that credit goes to Eclipse .

The superyacht Eclipse measures a massive 162.5 metres. Abramovich bought the ship in 2010 and is still in his possession. The most unique feature of the Eclipse is that it has a missile detection system, and the master suite has bulletproof windows.

Designed by Terry Disdale and made by German shipbuilder Blohm+Voss, it took about five years to build the Eclipse . It was the world’s biggest yacht till the 180-metre-long superyacht Azzam , which is owned by UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, took away the crown in 2013.

The Eclipse is a technological marvel. One of its two swimming pools can be used as a dance floor by bringing up the granite floor at deck level with the touch of a button. It can carry three helicopters at the same time — one each on its two helipads and one in the hangar below the foredeck. It has a submarine, which can dive to a depth of around 50 metres.

The giant vessel has nine decks with a range of luxurious services to opt from. The Eclipse features many amenities — including a cinema hall and a sauna — that one can expect in a superyacht. The Eclipse cost Roman Abramovich US$590 million at the time of purchase, and its beach house style interiors showcase the finest in Art Deco, lending it a timeless feel.

The Eclipse is powerful. It can attain a maximum speed of 21 knots and travel 6,000 nautical miles on a full tank. The yacht can house up to 36 guests in its 18 cabins and needs 70 people for operations.

It underwent a refit in 2015. Reports indicate that it is still counted among the priciest yachts in the world with a valuation ranging between US$600 million to US$1.5 billion.

Before Eclipse became a prized possession of Roman Abramovich, it was this 112.8-metre luxury yacht which was the finest in his collection. Built in 2000 by now-bankrupt German shipbuilder Bremer Vulkan, it has 10 guest cabins which can house 20 guests. It has a crew of 35 supporting operations.

Abramovich bought the Le Grand Bleu from its previous owner US telecommunications baron John McCaw. The Chelsea FC owner then had it remodified, adding a pool measuring 5 metres. In 2006, the billionaire sold it to his friend, oil tycoon Eugene Shvidler, who is its current owner.

The Le Grand Bleu comes with its own fleet of smaller boats, a landing craft and two 11-metre sports boats. It was in the news in 2017 when some tourists were unable to see the Statue of Liberty because the superyacht blocked the view.

The Ecstasea was designed by De Voogt Naval Architects and built at The Feadship Royal Van Lent Shipyard in the Netherlands in 2004. According to Superyacht Times , the yacht measures 85.95 metres and has four MTU engines alongside one General Electric engine. The combined power gives the Ecstasea an incredible top speed of around 33 knots.

It has state of art rooms designed in Asian decor by Terence Disdale, and an array of luxurious amenities accentuate its plush eight cabins. The Ecstasea is designed for the stay of 15 occupants, with a supporting squad of 27 to man the boat.

It also has a helipad at the front, where the platform can be lowered and doors on either side can be closed over the helipad to turn it into a hangar.

The Ecstasea was sold by Abramovich in 2009.

The Sussurro was designed for speed. According to its maker, Feadship, the machine, which was built in 1998, has two Paxman diesels and twin TF40 gas turbines that power three water jets. The combined 15,000 HP can take the all-aluminium craft to a top speed of 46 knots — enough to ensure that the owner can reach remote diving spots quickly.

De Voogt Naval Architects and Don Shead were responsible for its exterior design. Terence Disdale did the interiors, which look like a mix of culturally infused objects he has collected during his travels to places in Africa and Asia, such as Zulu and Bali, respectively.

Lightweight to near-weightless materials has been used to make the total weight of the boat within prescribed limits to meet the speed factor. The 162.5-metre-long Sussurro can accommodate 12 guests in its six cabins. It also has five cabins for 12 supporting staff to operate the boat.

Abramovich had bought it from its original Middle-Eastern owner. According to a November 2020 report by Boat International , Sussurro is currently valued at around US$22 million only.

Measuring 115 metres, Luna was built at Lloyd Werft and delivered to Roman Abramovich in 2010. While its exteriors were designed by German ship designer Newcruise, the Luna ’s tasteful interiors have been done by Donald Starkey.

Known as an “explorer yacht”, its steel hull can cut through ice floes. It has two helipads, a covered swimming pool, a beach club that goes down to the swim platform and designated areas for sunbathing.

The Luna has nine decks. It can accommodate a 50-member crew and take up to 18 guests in its nine staterooms. It has two diesel-electric engines that give it a top speed of around 22 knots.

When it was delivered to Abramovich, he took it for a cruise with his family around the Kristiansand Archipelago.

Azerbaijani businessman Farkhad Akhmedov bought it from Abramovich for about US$300 million in 2014. Then, it underwent a refit for an estimated US$50 million. Today, it is at the centre of the divorce case between Akhmedov and his former wife Tatiana Akhmedova.

Currently owned by billionaire and Hong Kong property tycoon Samuel Tak Lee, Pelorus was originally commissioned for a Saudi Arabian businessman who quickly sold it to Abramovich in 2003.

Pelorus has two Wärtsilä engines and can reach a top speed of 20 knots. It can house 18 guests in nine cabins and requires around 40 people for maintenance and operations.

Measuring 115 metres in length, the Pelorus was built at the Krogerwerft shipyard of German shipbuilder Lurssen. Its exterior has been designed by Tim Heywood while Disdale’s style is evident from the interiors, which exude a luxurious beach house vibe.

Heywood made the best use of the size of the vessel and built two helipads, two swimming pools, a lido and a transom that opens to form a sea-level platform. The master suite has a private deck that can’t be seen from any part of the Pelorus .

Abramovich had once lent the vessel to Chelsea FC players John Terry and Frank Lampard after the club’s English Premier League win. Additionally, Terry took his wife Toni on their honeymoon on the Pelorus in 2007.

In 2011, American film mogul David Geffen purchased the Pelorus for US$300 million. Geffen then sold it the same year for US$214 million to a royal family in the UAE.

Hero and Featured Image: Courtesy Feadship

Manas Sen Gupta

Manas Sen Gupta writes at the intersection of tech, entertainment and history. His works have appeared in publications such as The Statesman, Myanmar Matters, Hindustan Times and News18/ETV. In his spare time, Manas loves studying interactive charts and topographic maps. When not doing either, he prefers reading detective fiction. Spring is his favourite season and he can happily eat a bowl of noodles any time of the day.

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