Certainly, few love their luxury yachts. Sanctioned billionaires left no stone unturned to rescue the beloved pleasure ships of the authorities. Whether you’re spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on fuel and sailing a yacht halfway across the world until it’s darkened by shifting position-mandatory transponders.
Few of Russia’s top businessmen go to such pains to salvage their luxury boats while other pressing matters such as property confiscations and courtroom dramas must be attended to. Cash-strapped Roman Abramovich was asking his friends millions to pay his superyacht employees, while the island of Jersey confiscated a whopping $7 billion of his assets.
Oligarch Alexei Mordashov is another wealthy magnate who has spared no effort to ensure that his warship, dressed in a tuxedo worth $500 million, sails back to Russia. The giant yacht sailed in full force despite the danger of turning off the transponders of its position.
Turning off transponders makes tracking these ships a challenge and increases the fatal risk of accidents because it obscures the ship’s presence. This kind of action is rarely expected in real life and sounds like the idea of a blockbuster Hollywood movie. To get Nord’s yacht out of reach of the authorities, the steel billionaire was sailing at least 6,701 nautical miles.
These miles were mostly logged on her voyage back home in the Russian port of Vladivostok in March. According to Bloomberg, Nord spent his winters in the Maldives and Seychelles. It left Seychelles on March 12 and headed for Sri Lanka. The turning point, pun intended, was when Nord took a characteristic 90-degree left turn before he arrived. The yacht arrived in Vladivostok on April 11, where it is still moored, according to Marine Traffic. The boat carries 345,000 liters of fuel, and a full tank for its trip to Russia will cost about 465 thousand dollars.
Why would such a small expense ruffle Alexei Mordashov, if it helps to save his beautiful luxury ship? After all, the fortune of the businessman is $21 billion. Not only did he manage to keep a massive 464-foot yacht at a cost of $500 million out of sight of the European Union and the United States authorities. He also safely anchored his yacht in the Russian city of Vladivostok.
Serious and Stunning Giant Nord Yacht:
Nord, the 464-foot-high giant, was built at the German shipyard Lürssen. The exterior and interior design of the yacht is the work of Nuvolari & Lenard. Formerly known as Project Opus, this $500 million ship has six decks and seats 36 guests in 20 luxury cabins. Its commendable features include a large swimming pool, jacuzzi on the sundeck, spa, diving center, cinema, beach area, BBQ area and garage.
The most striking aspect of this feature-rich yacht is the helipad at bridge deck level. Dan Lenard of Italian design studio Nuvolari & Lenard said, “Nord was designed with one idea in mind: it should evoke strong emotions in every observer, not just by its sheer size but by the design itself.
No one should be left indifferent.” While many find her champagne-colored hull attractive, we think the majestic nameplate signifies that this boat means business. The back plate lights up as night falls, ensuring that the North shines through even in the dark.
About Alexei Mordashov:
The Russian billionaire businessman is the main shareholder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Severstal, the largest Russian steel and mining company. With a net worth of $21 billion, he is among the richest men in Russia, second only to Putin himself. Mordashov made it big despite his humble beginnings as the son of two parents who worked in steel mills. In addition to the $500 million yacht Nord, the billionaire owned the $71 million 215-foot yacht, Lady M, which was seized by Italian authorities. Italian authorities seized the $116 million Mordashov complex in Portescu on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia in March.
