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ANDROMEDA Yacht – Panoramic $250M Superyacht

ANDROMEDA yacht was launched in 2015. This 107-meter-long beauty is one of the world’s biggest yachts . The exterior of the gorgeous sea vessel was designed by Oscar Mike Limited.

Hart approached Kleven to build a yacht that enabled an active boating lifestyle, which they delivered in 2015.

ANDROMEDA yacht interior

Designed by H2 Yacht Design, an English design house, the interior of the ANDROMEDA yacht is modern and luxurious.

While the boat’s features may be rugged, the interior reflects a more relaxed atmosphere with light pastel colors.

The ANDROMEDA yacht is spacious, with accommodation for 30 guests in 15 staterooms. She is equipped to accommodate 30 crew members.

She is classed as an expedition yacht and has a wide variety of features that make her robust for exploring.

She has a swimming pool, a helicopter landing pad, a hangar, a garage full of land and water toys, and two specifically fitted cranes to stow the 21m(68.9ft) custom tender aboard.

The ANDROMEDA is highly equipped for an active lifestyle.

The ANDROMEDA yacht is built with a steel hull and aluminum superstructure with teak decks. Oscar Mike designed the exterior, and Marin Teknikk delivered the naval architecture. The build was executed by Norwegian shipbuilders Kleven in 2015.

The ANDROMEDA is the first private superyacht to be built at their shipyard.  She was refitted in 2017.

The rugged exterior was designed for long-range passages in difficult sea conditions, which sets her apart from other superyachts.  She is ice-classed to cope with extreme conditions.

Specifications

The ANDROMEDA has a volume of 5937 GT and is powered by two Caterpillar diesel engines.

She has a length of 107.4 m(352,4ft), a beam of 18.01m(59.1ft), a draft of 5.11m(16.8ft), and has long-range passage capabilities with an 8500 nautical mile cruising range.

The ANDROMEDA cruises at 15 knots and reaches a maximum of 16 knots. She is in the top 5% by LOA globally and is one of 58 motor yachts measuring over 100m in length.

She has a $15 – $25 million running cost every year and has a Passenger Yacht certification.

ANDROMEDA’s Tenders

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OSINT & Analysis by Oliver Alexander

The Nord Stream Andromeda Story: What We Know and What We Don’t

A look at what we know about the recent development regarding a chartered yacht, andromeda, as well as the questions posed by this supposed series of events..

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Two days ago, The New York Times published an article in which an anonymous US official suggested that the operation to sabotage the Nord Stream pipelines may have been conducted by a pro-Ukrainian group. Unfortunately this article contained very little verifiable new information with no concrete details that could in anyway be investigated further. “U.S. officials declined to disclose the nature of the intelligence, how it was obtained or any details of the strength of the evidence it contains.”

Shortly thereafter Zeit published an article with an investigation they had done providing more details. This article lays out that a group of 6 unidentified people, possibly from a pro-Ukrainian group, used high quality fake passports and chartered a yacht in Rostock on September 6th before heading to place explosives at the Nord Stream sabotage sites. The yacht reportedly made a stop in Weick and on Chrisitansø as part of the trip. The yacht was later searched by the German authorities and traces of explosives were found. The article also stated that the charter was paid for by a Polish company owned by two Ukrainians.

Over the last two days, parts of this story have been corroborated, while other parts have raised further questions. Initially we can look at the aspects of the story that can be corroborated.

The Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet confirmed that police had conducted an investigation on the island of Christiansø and was looking for a specific vessel that was docked on the island between the 16th and 18th September.

SPIEGEL Politik released an article that gave a detailed description of the yacht involved in the investigation. In this article it is stated that the yacht was over 15 meters long, had 5 cabins, could accommodate 11 people and cost just under 3000 Euros a week to rent. They also stated that the yacht was rented out by a company from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. This information made it possible to narrow the search down to two vessels out of the Hohe Düne marina in Rostock, rented out by Mola Yachting GmbH. These two vessels are both Bavaria Cruiser 50 yachts. These yachts are 15.57 meters long, can accommodate 11 people in 5 cabins and cost 2998 Euros a week to rent for the time period in September. Unfortunately according to the Mola Yachting website, these two yachts are not equipped with an AIS (Automatic Identification System), which means that the movements cannot be tracked using ship tracking site like MarineTraffic .

This could then be further narrowed down to the specific vessel the “Andromeda” through the help of several sources with knowledge of the investigation. This has now been publicly confirmed by the SPIEGEL . The Andromeda can be seen in this 2017 video from Yacht TV .

Knowing the vessel, a hole in the Zeit story became apparent. In the article it is claimed that the yacht was spotted in Wieck auf dem Darß on the 7th September. Looking at nautical charts of the area, this would be highly unlikely as the Wieck auf dem Darß harbor only has a depth of 1.4m while a Bavaria Cruiser 50 has a draft of 2.25m.

This inconsistency was further reinforced after Ostsee Zeitung interviewed the harbormaster at Wieck auf dem Darß where he stated that he had never been contacted by the authorities and suspected that there had been a mix-up. This left the more suitable marina of Wiek on the island of Rügen as the more likely candidate. This has today been confirmed by WELT after interviewing the harbormaster at Wiek who could confirm that they had been previously contacted by authorities regarding the situation.

This error has now been edited and corrected to Wiek, Rügen in the Zeit story, though it raises questions as to how the story went ahead with this rather large error.

The Zeit article and overall story leaves many unanswered questions including several of the points that are used to point at a pro-Ukrainian group. It is stated that the group has been professionally trained and used very high quality fake passports during the operation to protect their identity. At the same time though the boat charter was reportedly paid for by a Polish company owned by two Ukrainians leaving a very direct link back to Ukraine. It is also stated that the yacht was returned “uncleaned” after the charter, which undoubtably aided the authorities in finding explosive residue inside the boat on the table. For a highly sophisticated operation carried out with focus on secrecy and apparent subterfuge, why did the team involved decide to be so careless at this pivotal final moment as to not clean the yacht prior to returning it?

The Times wrote another piece where they state that the explosives were driven from Poland into Germany. Why would the group acquire explosives in Poland and then risk transporting it over the border to Germany and sail of out Rostock? It would have been safer and logistically easier to set sail from a Polish marina which is also closer to Bornholm and the site of the Nord Stream sabotage. This adds a large amount of increased complexity and risk for no logical reason.

Depending on the amount of explosives used in the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline, the size of the vessel can also be questioned. In the article by The New York Times, they mentioned a previous quote from the investigation that stated that up to 500kg of explosives was used at each Nord Stream 1 site. If this is true, that would make the use of a Bavaria Cruiser 50 to perform this sabotage very unlikely. Transporting this amount of explosive on a 15m yacht along with 6 people and large amount of tanks and equipment for the dives would be close to impossible, not to mention the task of moving this amount of explosives from the yacht down to the pipes. Even with a small amount of explosives, performing several technical dives to 80m from a yacht like the Andromeda would be very difficult and highly impractical.

The story also makes no mention of the Greek flagged crude oil carrier the Minerva Julie which circled the area around the Nord Stream 1 explosion sites between the 5th and 13th September. Coincidentally the exact same time as the “Andromeda” would have been in the area placing the charges on the pipes. Using the “Andromeda” to transport the team and possible supplies and meet up with the Minerva Julie sounds like a more plausible scenario to me.

Additionally, the locations of the Nord Stream 1 explosions are in some of the deepest water in the area directly surrounding Bornholm. Why would a non-state actor operating off a 50 foot yacht decide to place the explosives at the most difficult and time-consuming location? The vessel was relatively small and not equipped with active AIS, so there would be hundreds of more accessible locations along the pipes for the saboteurs to place the explosive charges. On top of this, blowing the pipeline towards the deepest point in the area reduces the amount of the pipeline that is flooded and as a result makes it easier and cheaper to repair. The group chose the most difficult area to perform the dive where the damage would be the easiest to repair.

The yacht story does not explain why only three of the four Nord Stream pipes were destroyed and why a single Nord Stream 2 pipe was ruptured approximately 80km away from the location of the two Nord Stream 1 explosions. This is a point I have previously tried to explain with an alternative hypothesis.

All in all, this investigation into the Andromeda adds several interesting details to the story, but also leaves a lot more mystery out there. It is interesting to note that the Russian government is strongly denying this series of events and sticking firmly with the Seymour Hersh story that I have previously debunked. Today Dmitry Peskov was quoted saying “As for some kind of pro-Ukrainian" Dr. Evil ", who organized all this, it's hard to believe in it.” This raises some questions as to why Russia is so keen to completely dismiss a scenario that implicates Ukraine in the destruction of Nord Stream.

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Andromeda (ex-Ulysses) is the first private superyacht to be built at the Norwegian shipbuilder Kleven. Commissioned by New Zealand businessman Graeme Hart, this robust explorer yacht has been designed for long-range passages in testing sea conditions, with a rugged exterior design by New Zealand naval architects Oscar Mike. The 7,000 ton yacht has capacity for 30 guests with interiors by H2 Yacht Design. Facilities include a helicopter landing pad and hangar and a swimming pool. Two specially fitted cranes on the foredeck can stow the custom 21 metre tender, which even has its own accommodation.

About ANDROMEDA , brought to you by BOAT Pro

ANDROMEDA is a 107.4 m Motor Yacht, built in Norway by Kleven and delivered in 2016.

Her top speed is 16.0 kn, her cruising speed is 15.0 kn, and she boasts a maximum cruising range of 8500.0 nm at 12.0 kn, with power coming from two Caterpillar diesel engines. She can accommodate up to 30 guests in 15 staterooms, with 30 crew members. She has a gross tonnage of 5937.0 GT and a 18.0 m beam.

She was designed by Oscar Mike .

The naval architecture was developed by Marin Teknikk , who has architected 2 other superyachts in the BOAT Pro database, and the interior of the yacht was designed by H2 Yacht Design (51 other superyacht interiors designed) and Oscar Mike - she is built with , a Steel hull, and Aluminium and Steel superstructure.

ANDROMEDA is in the top 5% by LOA in the world. She is one of 70 motor yachts longer than 100m.

ANDROMEDA is currently sailing under the Cayman Islands flag, the 2nd most popular flag state for superyachts with a total of 1361 yachts registered. She is known to be an active superyacht and has most recently been spotted cruising near United States of America. For more information regarding ANDROMEDA's movements, find out more about BOAT Pro AIS .

Specifications

• Name: ANDROMEDA
• Previous Names: ULYSSES
• Yacht Type: Motor Yacht
• Yacht Subtype: Displacement , Expedition Yacht
• Builder: Kleven
• Naval Architect: Marin Teknikk
• Exterior Designer: Oscar Mike
• Interior Designer: Oscar Mike , H2 Yacht Design
• Refits: 2019-08-07

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The Truth About Ulysses Yacht and Who Owns It

Many millionaires and billionaires like to straddle the fence between being in the public eye but also being very secretive about their public lives and Mark Zuckerberg is no different. In 2017 there were numerous articles published about him purchasing a yacht called Ulysses that were soon followed by denials that he had purchased the yacht. So did he purchase the yacht? And if not, who does own the Ulysses? Let’s take a look!

History of the Yacht Ulysses

The yacht Ulysses was built by Kleven Shipyard out of Norway in 2015 and was the largest expedition yacht they’d ever built. It was launched in 2016. It was first owned by New Zealand billionaire Graeme Hart and then rumor has it that Zuckerberg purchased it in September 2017. However, a spokesman for Zuckerberg posted on Facebook shortly thereafter saying Zuckerberg didn’t buy Ulysses and didn’t own any yacht at all.

The story originally came from a Turkish newspaper and, since its publication in September 2017, has spread to numerous other websites that essentially rehash the original details about the explorer yacht in general with Mark Zuckerberg’s name attached. 

However, other sources indicate that the yacht was indeed sold in 2017 but not to Zuckerberg. Instead, the buyer was listed as Russian billionaire Yuri Milner. After purchasing the yacht he renamed it Andromeda.

Milner has also denied ownership but the difference between his claims and those of Zuckerberg is that Milner has reportedly been seen on the yacht and the address registered for the company that owns the yacht is the same address as one of Milner’s companies. So it seems likely that Milner is the owner, and certainly much more likely than Zuckerberg.

So Who Is the Ulysses Yacht Owner?

Based on that, it seems very likely that this is not Mark Zuckerberg’s yacht, but Yuri Milner’s. That said, there are so many results that come up when you Google this yacht or Mark Zuckerberg’s yacht, it’s good to have something to clarify the issue. The idea of billionaire yachts has been big news for some time with stories about the yachts belonging to people like Jeff Bezos , Bill Gates and even Michael Jordan making headlines.

And with that, we can still dive into what we know about the yacht aside from who owns it.

Features of the Andromeda

Like any superyacht, there are some remarkable features onboard Ulysses/Andromeda that make it a real standout. Part of the confusion over getting to the bottom of this comes from the name change from Ulysses to Andromeda. There are actually several yachts bearing these names and Graeme Hart has named at least 3 different yachts Ulysses over the years as well. That aside, let’s take a tour of what we know about the yacht Andromeda/Ulysses features, even if it’s hard to pinpoint who is enjoying all these amenities.

There’s a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure. The deck is teak. Because it’s a yacht designed for exploration it’s a lot more rugged and durable than the average pleasure boat. It’s able to handle extreme weather and is ice-classed to allow for arctic travel. 

Length and Dimensions of the Andromeda

To start with some technical specs, let’s look at the yacht by the numbers.

• 107.4 meters in length or 352’4”
• 18 meter beam or 59’1”
• 5.01 meter draft or 16’5”
• 5,937 gross tonnage
• Crew capacity of 43
• Passenger capacity of 30

Interior of the Andromeda

To start with, the most noticeable features across the 6 decks of the Andromeda is both a helipad and a helicopter hangar for when you need to get back to shore double quick. There’s a large swimming pool on board for those not into salt water and for those who are, a tender garage that is loaded with all kinds of water toys. This includes a nearly 70 foot tender and also a pair of custom cranes to help launch and store it on board. This tender is actually a two-deck vessel in its own right so, essentially, the Andromeda has its own small yacht. 

There are surf boards, seabobs, flyboards and more available and that’s just for the water. If you want to go to shore the garage also holds motorcycles and even SUVs for travel on land. 

You can find a jacuzzi tub on deck as well, and tons of sun pads for lounging.

The interior was designed by British design house H2 Yacht Design. The look is said to be clean and modern but also luxurious. Rumor has it that the space inside cost about €20,000 per square meter. There is a cinema located on board with a Sony 300ES projector. The system comes with full surround sound and 3D projection.

Elsewhere there’s a luxurious full dining room, a wine cellar, a spacious lounge area for socializing, pool and parties. Guests can relax with a plunge pool, sauna, steam room, massage room and gym located to the aft of the main deck.

One deck of the yacht is reserved as a private owner’s deck and features not just luxury quarters but also a full-width lounge and a private balcony. 

Quarters on the Andromeda

There is room for 30 passengers on board and this is said to be split among 15 guest rooms.The crew is also purported to have 15 rooms to split though obviously less spaciously if it can handle 43. 

Guest cabins have floor to ceiling windows allowing for incredible ocean views. The master cabin, with its full beam width, has a panoramic view to the aft of the boat.

How Fast is the Andromeda?

Powered by a total of 6 Caterpillar DE 3516 engines, the Andromeda packs a punch. She has a total listed power of 6660 kw which works out to close to 10,000 horsepower. Despite that, she’s certainly not a speed demon. The top speed has been recorded as 17 knots. Her cruising speed is 15 knots. Her range is 8,500 nautical miles.

How Much Did the Andromeda Cost?

This one is a bit of a tough nut to crack. Initial stories about Zuckerberg buying the motor yacht quoted the price as $150 million sometimes and $195 million other times. But how reliable can either of those be if they didn’t even get the buyer right? Others stated the yacht was worth $195 million but Zuckerberg purchased it for $150 million. 

In 2022, Forbes reported on the yacht in the Caymans and at that time they said the yacht was valued at $129 million. So, with some depreciation, the $150 million figure could have been correct? Or it could have just been speculation much the same as the idea that Zuckerberg bought it. But, in any event, the $129 million valuation seems to be as accurate a number as we can currently get. 

To further confuse you, more recent articles about the Andromeda, which still acknowledge it as being formerly owned by Graeme Hart and having all the same features, list it as being a $250 million vessel.

The annual cost of keeping the yacht running has been estimated at anywhere from $15 million to $25 million.

Can You Charter the Andromeda?

The Andromeda is currently anchored in the Seychelles but it’s not available for charter and Milner, or whoever may own the yacht, is not very open about letting others on board as you can imagine with all this confusion and secrecy. 

The Bottom Line

The yacht once known as Ulysses is now called Andromeda. It is one of the largest and most impressive luxury yachts in the water. Though there is a persistent rumor that it was purchased by Mark Zuckerberg in 2017 it does not seem to be true and, in fact, Zuckerberg doesn’t seem to own a yacht at all. Instead, the vessel seems to have been purchased by Russian-Israeli tech billionaire Yuri Milner though he too has denied ownership. That said, some evidence does suggest it really is his.

The yacht, which cost anywhere from $150 million to $250 million features a helipad, luxury accommodations, room for 30 guests and a number of toys for those on board to use. It is not available for charter. 

My grandfather first took me fishing when I was too young to actually hold up a rod on my own. As an avid camper, hiker, and nature enthusiast I'm always looking for a new adventure.

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ANDROMEDA yacht NOT for charter*

35m  /  114'10 | omega marine developers | 1997.

Owner & Guests

• Previous Yacht

The 35m/114'10" sail yacht 'Andromeda' was built by Omega Marine Developers in the United States. Her interior is styled by design house Brindan Byrne Design and she was completed in 1997. This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of Nissan Design Group.

Guest Accommodation

She is also capable of carrying up to 5 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

Range & Performance

Andromeda is built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure.

*Charter Andromeda Sail Yacht

Sail yacht Andromeda is currently not believed to be available for private Charter. To view similar yachts for charter , or contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting a luxury charter yacht.

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Specification

S/Y Andromeda

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Investigators skeptical of yacht’s role in Nord Stream bombing

Officials believe more than one vessel might have been involved in sabotaging the natural gas pipeline last year and wonder if a 50-foot sailing yacht that investigators scoured for clues could be a decoy.

After saboteurs severely damaged the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines last September, German officials zeroed in on a rented sailboat that appeared to have taken part in planting explosive devices deep below the surface of the Baltic Sea.

But after months of investigation, law enforcement officials now suspect that the 50-foot yacht, the Andromeda, was probably not the only vessel used in the audacious attack. They also say the boat may have been a decoy, put to sea to distract from the true perpetrators, who remain at large, according to officials with knowledge of an investigation led by Germany’s attorney general. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to share details about the active inquiry, including doubts about the Andromeda’s role that haven’t been previously reported.

Officials hope that the true purpose of Andromeda in the deep-sea demolition will provide further insight in a high-stakes, international whodunnit that could eventually lead to those responsible and explain their motives, which remain unclear.

U.S. and European officials said they still don’t know for sure who is behind the underwater attack. But several said they shared German skepticism that a crew of six people on one sailboat laid the hundreds of pounds of explosives that disabled Nord Stream 1 and part of Nord Stream 2, a newer set of pipelines that wasn’t yet delivering gas to customers.

Experts noted that while it was theoretically possible to place the explosives on the pipeline by hand, even skilled divers would be challenged submerging more than 200 feet to the seabed and slowly rising to the surface to allow time for their bodies to decompress.

Such an operation would have taken multiple dives, exposing the Andromeda to detection from nearby ships. The mission would have been easier to hide and pull off using remotely piloted underwater vehicles or small submarines, said diving and salvage experts who have worked in the area of the explosion, which features rough seas and heavy shipping traffic.

The German investigation has determined that traces of “military-grade” explosives found on a table inside the boat’s cabin match the batch of explosives used on the pipeline. Several officials doubted that skilled saboteurs would leave such glaring evidence of their guilt behind. They wonder if the explosive traces — collected months after the rented boat was returned to its owners — were meant to falsely lead investigators to the Andromeda as the vessel used in the attack.

“The question is whether the story with the sailboat is something to distract or only part of the picture,” said one person with knowledge of the investigation.

Still others allow that the bombers may simply have been sloppy.

“It doesn’t all fit,” a senior European security official said of the fragments of evidence. “But people can make mistakes.”

Suspicions turn to Poland and Ukraine

The German investigation has linked the yacht rental to a Polish company, which is in turn owned by a European company that’s connected to a prominent Ukrainian, fueling speculation from Berlin to Warsaw to Kyiv that a deep-pocketed partisan may have financed the operation. The identity of the Polish company and the Ukrainian individual, as well as his potential motive, remains unclear.

Based on the initial German findings, officials have been whispering about the potential involvement of the Polish or Ukrainian government in the attack. Poland arguably had a motive, some said, considering it has been among the most vocal critics of the Nord Stream project since it began in the late 1990s, warning that the pipelines, running from western Russia to Germany, would make Europe dependent on the Kremlin for energy.

Marcin Przydacz, the Polish president’s chief foreign policy adviser, urged caution about reaching conclusions from the initial evidence. He too shared the view that the Andromeda could be a red herring, but said it may have been planted by Moscow.

“This could be a Russian game to blame” Poland, Przydacz said in an interview at the presidential palace in Warsaw. “Poland had nothing to do with this [attack].”

Intelligence agencies have found no clear evidence that Russia, initially the prime suspect, was responsible.

Privately, former Polish government officials said that despite the country’s vehement opposition to Nord Stream and staunch support for arming Ukraine, they doubted that President Andrzej Duda would authorize an act that risked fracturing the alliance of nations that have come to Ukraine’s defense. Polish officials routinely refer to Ukraine’s conflict with Russia as “our war” and are fearful that if Russian President Vladimir Putin succeeds there, he would set his sights on Poland next.

Suspicion also has turned toward Ukraine as the culprit behind the Nord Stream bombings, based in part on intercepted communications of pro-Ukraine individuals discussing the possibility of carrying out an attack on the pipelines before the explosions, The Washington Post previously reported.

A senior Western security official with knowledge of the secretly gathered intelligence said the communications were only discovered after the bombing, when Western spy agencies began searching their records for insights.

“Ukraine absolutely did not participate in the attack on Nord Stream,” Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, said last month, questioning why his country would conduct an operation that “destabilizes the region and will divert attention from the war, which is categorically not beneficial to us.”

Those who suspect Ukrainian involvement said that disabling the pipeline could have been an effort to galvanize allied support in the face of Russian aggression, and particularly to strengthen German resolve. Germany had halted activated authorization for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline days before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Officials in the United States and Europe initially blamed Russia for the bombing. The country had already halted gas flows on Nord Stream 1, the older of the two sets of pipelines. That suggested that Moscow was willing to engage in a form of political blackmail with energy supplies.

One of the pair of Nord Stream 2 pipes remains intact. Both of the Nord Stream 1 lines were severed in the explosions on Sept. 26.

Some officials said that Ukrainian saboteurs or those from other countries acting in what they felt were Ukraine’s best interest could have attacked Nord Stream without Zelensky’s knowledge, arguing that he doesn’t have complete visibility into all the operations of his government or the military. That kind of plausible deniability could protect the celebrated leader and dampen the political fallout of a brazen attack tied to his country, these officials said.

No country has provided firm evidence tying the attacks to Ukraine, and a senior Biden administration official has cautioned that the intercepted communications of pro-Ukrainian actors are not conclusive.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned against making early conclusions as to who was responsible, suggesting that it might be a “false flag” operation, an idea echoed by other German politicians.

Roderich Kiesewetter, a German lawmaker who is part of a committee that was briefed last month by intelligence officials on the probe’s progress, said he believes that investigators have not yet communicated any results because the “evidence is far too thin.”

Kiesewetter said that unfounded speculation over the culprits could endanger cohesion in Europe. “We should continue to ask who had an interest in the detonation” and who “benefits from uncertainty and accusations,” he said.

Trail of breadcrumbs

As the Nord Stream mystery has turned into an international game of Clue, German investigators have scoured the Andromeda for leads. Officials first became interested in the vessel after the country’s domestic intelligence agency received a “very concrete tip” from a Western intelligence service that the boat may have been involved in the sabotage, according to a German security official, who declined to name the country that shared the information.

German authorities determined that the tip was credible and passed the information onto law enforcement officials, the official said.

The Andromeda left a virtual trail of breadcrumbs as it set off from a German port for the Baltic Sea, according to investigators.

Mola Yachting rented out the boat on Sept. 6 from Hohe Düne harbor in Warnemünde, a German port town on the Baltic, near Rostock, which is about 145 miles north of Berlin. The rental location is in plain sight of a huge vacation complex, home to a five-star hotel, seven restaurants and a high-end shopping area, with views across the harbor.

Investigators said the boat then traveled in a northeasterly direction, stopping in Hafendorf Wiek, or “Wiek harbor village,” on the northernmost part of Rügen island.

When a reporter from The Post visited in early March, the area had emptied out, save for the odd local dog-walker braving the biting temperatures. A half-dozen yachts bobbed in the water where the Andromeda is said to have been. “Investigators came [in] mid-January, and we helped them where we could,” said the harbor master, René Redmann.

“It wouldn’t be unusual for a boat setting off from Rostock with the destination of Bornholm to stop in Wiek,” Redmann noted, referring to a Danish island near the site of the Nord Stream explosion. Investigators believe that the Andromeda left Hafendorf Wiek and moored off the coast of the tiny island Christianso, near Bornholm.

A stop in Hafendork Wiek may have offered the Andromeda’s crew a final chance to stock up on supplies before heading to the explosion site.

“Lots of things are loaded on the boats … including groceries,” Redmann said. “Some people stop to tank up on fuel.” Redmann would not confirm that the Andromeda stopped there, citing the continuing law enforcement investigation. But he said he wouldn’t have any record of the crew’s identities, just the name of the boat, the number of people aboard and the type of vessel.

“Recording names of passengers is the job of the charter,” Redmann said.

Thomas Richter, co-owner of the charter company Mola, said that the search of the Andromeda took place in Dranske, on Rügen island, where the yacht was kept in winter storage. He declined to share further details.

‘Don’t talk about Nord Stream’

For all the intrigue around who bombed the pipeline, some Western officials are not so eager to find out.

At gatherings of European and NATO policymakers, officials have settled into a rhythm, said one senior European diplomat: “Don’t talk about Nord Stream.” Leaders see little benefit from digging too deeply and finding an uncomfortable answer, the diplomat said, echoing sentiments of several peers in other countries who said they would rather not have to deal with the possibility that Ukraine or allies were involved.

Even if there were a clear culprit, it would not likely stop the provision of arms to Ukraine, diminish the level of anger with Russia or alter the strategy of the war, these officials argued. The attack happened months ago and allies have continued to commit more and heavier weapons to the fight, which faces a pivotal period in the next few months.

Since no country is yet ruled out from having carried out the attack, officials said they were loath to share suspicions that could accidentally anger a friendly government that might have had a hand in bombing Nord Stream.

In the absence of concrete clues, an awkward silence has prevailed.

“It’s like a corpse at a family gathering,” the European diplomat said, reaching for a grim analogy. Everyone can see there’s a body lying there, but pretends things are normal. “It’s better not to know.”

Harris reported from Warsaw and Washington, Mekhennet from Berlin and Washington, Morris from Berlin, Birnbaum from Washington and Brady from Rügen and Rostock, Germany. Meg Kelly in Washington contributed to this report.

What to know about Ukraine’s counteroffensive

The latest: The Ukrainian military has launched a long-anticipated counteroffensive against occupying Russian forces , opening a crucial phase in the war aimed at restoring Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty and preserving Western support in its fight against Moscow.

The fight: Ukrainian troops have intensified their attacks on the front line in the southeast region, according to multiple individuals in the country’s armed forces, in a significant push toward Russian-occupied territory.

The front line: The Washington Post has mapped out the 600-mile front line between Ukrainian and Russian forces .

How you can help: Here are ways those in the United States can support the Ukrainian people as well as what people around the world have been donating.

Read our full coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war . Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for updates and exclusive video .

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UFI approval for Moscow Boat Show

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Written by Zuzana Bednarova

September 17 was marked by meeting of the UFI Executive Committee. During the event, the Committe approved the admission of Crocus Expo IEC as a full member of UFI in categories of “Exhibition Organizers” and “Exhibition Centres. Moscow Boat Show has been granted the status of “UFI Approved Event”.

Moscow Boat Show

UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry is the association of trade show organizers, fairground owners, national and international associations of the exhibition industry, and its partners. As of 2012, it has 608 members in 224 cities from 86 countries covering 6 continents. The association members are responsible for the management and operation of over 4 500 profile events. The association represents more than 1 000 000 of exhibitors and more than 150 000 000 visitors.

The Crocus Expo Exhibition Centre is a listed member of the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC), the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs, the Guild of Exhibition and Fair Operators by the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Donald Tramp fund has awarded Crocus Expo IEC Diamond Excellence Award.

Crocus Expo IEC is an ideal venue for running of large international and national exhibitions of different profile including congress events, conferences and scientific symposiums.About 50% of all exhibition events of Moscow take place in Crocus Expo and average exposition space load comprises 85%.

Moscow Boat Show provides the perfect platform from which to preview new products, evaluate market trends, and establish long-lasting and commercially profitable partnerships. Despite the dynamic changes taking place in Russia and the rapid growth of the yachting sector, the show continues to complement and reflect the industry’s demand and is a promotional opportunity not to be missed!

The exposition space will increase up to 45 000 sq m in 2013. More than 350 Russian and foreign companies will participate in the show. The scale of the project confirms confident positions of its positive development.

Moscow Boat Show is the largest project in Russia presenting all the best in the world of yachting. The exhibition annually shows high level of attendance and has already proved as significant and noteworthy event in the world of yachts and boats.

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "UFI approval for Moscow Boat Show".

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