nord yacht cape town

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

By SuperyachtNews 25 Oct 2022

Cape Town’s Mayor calls for Nord’s entry to be blocked

M/y nord is on course to cape town but could be turned away ….

Following Russian-owned Superyacht Nord’s problematic stopover in Hong Kong, the vessel is now on course to arrive in Cape Town, South Africa. According to BusinessTech, the 142-metre yacht weighed anchor on the 20th of October and departed for South Africa from Hong Kong. Nord is expected to arrive in Cape Town on the 9th of November.

Geordin Hill-Lewis, Cape Town’s mayor, called on the government to not allow the yacht to enter the city’s port. As previously reported by SuperyachtNews, Nord is owned by Alexey Mordashov, who has been sanctioned by the EU, the UK and the US due to his close ties with Vladimir Putin. Mordashov’s business in the steel industry, part of Russia's key strategy in its war efforts. 

Bloomberg reported that Hill-Lewis has written to South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, requesting her intervention in blocking the entry of the yacht and asking that Mordashov be denied entry to the country:

“To the best of our knowledge, Mr Mordashov is aboard the vessel and intends to enter South Africa through the port of Cape Town. If this happens, Mr Mordashov — and his luxury yacht — will be considered to be guests of the South African state,” the Cape Town mayor said. A spokesperson for Mordashov informed the press that the Russian billionaire has been in Moscow since the yacht arrived in Hong Kong and declined to comment on Nord’s movements. 

Hill-Lewis recognised the illegality of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and pointed out the evidence of war crimes committed against Ukraine’s civilians:

“The founding provisions of our constitution state our nation’s commitment to human dignity and the advancement of human rights and freedoms. To welcome an accomplice to state terrorism against innocent people to our shores as a guest would be a violation of these values. If Mordashov is allowed to dock and enter, I believe this is something which we will come not only to feel ashamed of as a matter of our own morality but it will also lower our reputation and standing among the peace-loving nations of the world.”

Hill-Lewis concluded: “I call on minister Pandor, therefore, to bar Mordashov’s docking in Cape Town and his entry into the republic.”

Join the discussion

To post comments please Sign in or Register

When commenting please follow our house rules

Click here to become part of The Superyacht Group community, and join us in our mission to make this industry accessible to all, and prosperous for the long-term. We are offering access to the superyacht industry’s most comprehensive and longstanding archive of business-critical information, as well as a comprehensive, real-time superyacht fleet database, for just £10 per month, because we are One Industry with One Mission. Sign up here .

Related news

72m Axioma will sell via judicial auction following arrest

The Supreme Court in Gibraltar have ordered that the Admiralty Marshall should proceed with the judicial auction

Imperial Yachts respond to being sanctioned

Imperial Yachts have claimed to be the victims of numerous unfounded and inaccurate accusations

The great yacht hunt

Emerging groups of internet spectators have taken a fancy to hunting down Russian-owned superyachts

Heesen board members resign following Ukraine crisis

The departure of the Russian board members has stoked rumours of the shipyard being discreetly put up for sale

What does it mean for a yacht to be seized?

Duncan Bateson, Partner at Ince, gives insight into the latest developments related to Russia, sanctions and the superyacht industry

2 years ago

Sign up to the SuperyachtNews Bulletin

Receive unrivalled market intelligence, weekly headlines and the most relevant and insightful journalism directly to your inbox.

Sign up to the SuperyachtNews Bulletin

The superyachtnews app.

Follow us on

Media Pack Request

Please select exactly what you would like to receive from us by ticking the boxes below:

SuperyachtNews.com

Register to comment

South Africa to let Russian billionaire's $500 million superyacht dock, despite mayor's request to block entry

South Africa will allow a $500 million superyacht linked to sanctioned Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov to dock in Cape Town, despite a bid by the city's mayor to block its entry.

Key points:

• The South African government will allow the $500 million Russian superyacht to dock in Cape Town
• It believed to be owned by Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov, who is thought to have close ties with Vladimir Putin and is sanctioned by the US and the EU
• Cape Town's mayor asked his country to block the yacht from docking

On Tuesday, the South African government announced its intention to let the mega yacht, Nord, to dock amid claims that steel and mining magnate Mr Mordashov was seeking a new harbour to shield it from seizure.

A day later, a South African official said Cape Town was perfect for the 141.6-metre-long boat because it has the technical means to maintain luxury yachts that many other harbours do not.

"If you're parking a $500-million asset, you need it looked after properly," the official told the Associated Press, on the condition of anonymity because he's not permitted to speak publicly on the issue.

Vincent Magwenya — spokesman for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa — said there was "no reason" for South Africa to deny the Nord entry as Mr Mordashov was not the subject of United Nations' sanctions — only sanctions imposed unilaterally by the United States and the European Union.

The mega yacht — which left Hong Kong on a journey across the Indian Ocean to South Africa last week — would be allowed to dock in Cape Town harbour, as long as those on board "abide by our immigration laws", Mr Magwenya said.

Mr Mordashov is not believed to be on board the yacht.

"Currently there are no UN-imposed sanctions on the particular individual and, therefore, South Africa has no legal obligation to abide by the sanctions that the US and the EU have decided to impose within specific jurisdictions," Mr Magwenya said. 

Mr Mordashov is thought to have close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and was sanctioned by the US and the EU because of the war in Ukraine.

He is the main shareholder and chairman of Severstal, Russia's largest steel and mining company, and one of Russia's richest men, with a net worth of more than $20 billion, according to Bloomberg's Billionaire's Index.

Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the Russian has benefited financially from the war in Ukraine and was "an accomplice to the unconscionable crimes committed against Ukrainian civilians".

He asked the South African government to block the Nord from docking, eliciting the response from President Ramaphosa's spokesman.

South Africa has adopted a neutral stance on the war in Ukraine, frustrating Western partners, who had hoped that Africa's most-developed economy would also condemn Russia's invasion and act as a leading voice for the continent.

The country abstained from a UN vote condemning Russia's actions and called, instead, for dialogue and diplomacy.

Mr Hill-Lewis is a member of South Africa's main opposition party, which has been fiercely critical of the neutral stance taken by Ramaphosa's government.

The fate of the yacht has captured attention since it arrived in Hong Kong from Vladivostok, Russia, earlier this month, sparking a diplomatic row between the US and Hong Kong authorities over the enforcing of sanctions.

• X (formerly Twitter)

Related Stories

Fijian court orders seized russian superyacht out of country.

• Economic Sanctions
• European Union
• International Law
• Russian Federation
• South Africa
• United States
• Unrest, Conflict and War

• Motorcycles
• Car of the Month
• Destinations
• Men’s Fashion
• Watch Collector
• Art & Collectibles
• Vacation Homes
• Celebrity Homes
• New Construction
• Home Design
• Electronics
• Fine Dining
• Baja Bay Club
• Costa Palmas
• Fairmont Doha
• Four Seasons Private Residences Dominican Republic at Tropicalia
• Reynolds Lake Oconee
• Scott Dunn Travel
• Wilson Audio
• 672 Wine Club
• Sports & Leisure
• Health & Wellness
• Best of the Best
• The Ultimate Gift Guide

The South African Government Just Let a Russian Oligarch Dock His $500 Million Megayacht

A spokesman for president cyril ramaphosa said the nation was under "no legal obligation" to comply with western sanctions., rachel cormack.

Digital Editor

Rachel Cormack's Most Recent Stories

• Heesen’s Most Powerful Superyacht Yet Comes With a Remote-Controlled Rescue Buoy

This New 131-Foot All-Aluminum Superyacht Lets You Take a Dip at Tip and Tail

This 92-foot yacht has a deck big enough for your chopper.

• Share This Article

After making waves on an international scale, Alexey Mordashov’s $500 million megayacht appears to have found safe haven in South Africa .

Related Stories

• Someone Finally Made a One-Person Scooter That Drives Like a Tank
• Car of the Week: This 1938 Bugatti Is an Art-Deco Dream That’s Now up for Grabs

Western authorities have imposed sanctions on more than 1,000 Russian individuals and businesses in response to President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. South Africa has so far avoided directly criticizing Russia and abstained from several UN votes condemning the war.

Mordashov—the largest shareholder in the steelmaker Severstal and the third-richest man in Russia—has been targeted by the Western sanctions due to his ties with Putin. The billionaire maintains he has had no involvement in Russian politics and has been fighting the sanctions since May.

Mordashov lost his 215-foot superyacht , Lady M , back in March after it was seized by Italian police. Nord is believed to be his biggest yacht asset, though. Indeed, the vessel, which is larger than a football field, features two helipads, a retractable hangar, a diving center, a swimming pool and 20 staterooms across six decks. It was delivered by German yard Lürssen in November 2020.

After leaving Hong Kong earlier this week, Nord is now en route to South Africa and is expected to moor in Cape Town on November 9, according to Marine Traffic data. The yacht was west of Indonesia as of Wednesday. You can track Nord ’s journey via Spire Maritime .

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

Read More On:

• South Africa

More Marine

Four Seasons Just Unveiled the First Itineraries for Its Luxury Cruise Ship

Lexus Just Unveiled a Speedy New 68-Foot Yacht

Culinary Masters 2024

MAY 17 - 19 Join us for extraordinary meals from the nation’s brightest culinary minds.

Give the Gift of Luxury

Latest Galleries in Marine

Unica 40 in Photos

8 Fascinating Facts About ‘Wayfinder,’ a 224-Foot Catamaran With a Helipad That Doubles as a Pickleball Court

More from our brands, the 43 best gifts for wives who have everything to receive this mother’s day, unequal 3-point lines mar ncaa women’s elite eight, zdf studios takes ard degeto film’s ‘the zweiflers’ for international (exclusive) , christie’s secures sale of $30 m. de la cruz collection, the best exercise mats for working out, according to fitness experts.

Sanctioned Russian oligarch Alexey Mordashov allowed to dock superyacht in Cape Town

Before the West imposed sanctions on oligarchs over Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine, Alexey Mordashov was the richest man in Russia with an estimated net worth of $29.1bn, according to Forbes.

OSINT producer @OliveLineham

Wednesday 26 October 2022 13:27, UK

A superyacht owned by a sanctioned Russian oligarch will be allowed to dock in South Africa.

The country has "no legal obligation" to abide by sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union, a spokesman for Cyril Ramaphosa, the president, said.

Nord, a luxury 465ft yacht worth more than $500m, is owned by Alexey Mordashov, a billionaire ally of Vladimir Putin, and will be allowed to dock in Cape Town.

Putin oversees training for 'massive nuclear strike' - live updates

The case exemplifies the limits of sanctions imposed by the US and the EU in response to Mr Putin's war in Ukraine.

Mordashov was one of several oligarchs targeted with sanctions by the US and EU, but not the United Nations, after the invasion of Ukraine in February for their ties to Mr Putin.

Vincent Magwenya, Mr Ramaphosa's spokesman, said South Africa's obligations on sanctions "relate to only those specifically adopted by the United Nations" - of which it is a founding member.

More on Russia

The West has the capability to halt Putin's brutal war - but does it have the resolve?

Evan Gershkovich: US 'working every day' to free US journalist held in Russia, Joe Biden says

'Staying strong, still funny, still himself': What friends say about Evan Gershkovich, journalist detained in Russia one year ago today

Related Topics:

• South Africa

The yacht, which has six decks and a helipad, left Hong Kong last Thursday and is en route to Cape Town, according to MarineTraffic, a maritime tracker.

The decision has been criticised by South African opposition leaders, including the mayor of Cape Town, who urged the government to block Nord's entry.

Geordin Hill-Lewis, a member of the opposition Democratic Alliance party, tweeted: "There is no place in our city for accomplices to, and enablers of, Putin's war."

Mordashov had an estimated net worth of $29.1bn before sanctions hit, according to Forbes, which made him the richest man in Russia.

The yacht docked in Hong Kong after a seven-day voyage from Vladivostok, in the Russian Far East near the border with China, down through the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.

I have asked Minister Pandor to block the entry of a R9 billion superyacht, owned and sailed by sanctioned Russian oligarch Alexey Mordashov, to Cape Town's port. There is no place in our city for accomplices to, and enablers of, Putin’s war. https://t.co/yTqZGs1Eka pic.twitter.com/MAxOFf267t — Geordin Hill-Lewis (@geordinhl) October 24, 2022

Before its arrival, John Lee, the Beijing-backed leader of Hong Kong, said the authorities would not act on unilateral sanctions imposed on Mordashov by individual jurisdictions.

"We cannot do anything that has no legal basis," said Mr Lee, who himself has been sanctioned by the US for his role in a crackdown on local freedoms.

China, a traditional ally of Russia, has opposed economic sanctions against Russia and refused to condemn Mr Putin's invasion, though last month at the UN General Assembly it called for a negotiated end to the war.

In a statement to Sky News Mr Mordashov said: "It is terrible that Ukrainians and Russians are dying, people are suffering hardships and the economy is collapsing. I sincerely hope a way can be found in the very near future to resolve this conflict.

"I have absolutely nothing to do with the emergence of the current geopolitical tension and I do not understand why the sanctions were imposed on me."

Read more: How a KGB agent from Leningrad rose to the top of the Kremlin Russia could take 10 years to recover from sanctions

Mordashov built his wealth around the Russian steel producer Severstal.

Multiple Russian-owned superyachts have been seized since the start of the war in Ukraine.

In recent months, a number have been moved to parts of the world considered beyond the reach of Western sanctions, including Turkey, parts of Asia and the Caribbean.

Related Topics