7 minutes agoForbes: Russian billionaire's yacht seized in Hamburg
Periskopi(4 years ago)
(4 years ago)Russian billionaire Alisher Ussanov was sanctioned by the European Union on Monday. Two days later, Forbes has learned from three sources in the yacht industry that one of his precious assets, the 156m-long yacht Dillbar, estimated at nearly $600m, has been seized by German authorities in the city [...]
Russian billionaire Alisher Ussanov was sanctioned by the European Union on Monday. Two days later, Forbes has learned from three sources in the yacht industry that one of his precious assets -- the 156m-long Dilbar yacht -- estimated at nearly $600m -- has been seized by German authorities in the northern town of Hamburg.
The ship has been at Hamburg shipyards of the German shipbuilding firm Blhm+Vos since late October for a repair job. Sources that spoke of Forbes said the German government froze the asset and that Blohm+Vos employees who had worked on the yacht did not appear at work Wednesday. Representatives of Blohm+Vos and Usnovo did not immediately respond to the requests for comments.
Usnovo bought Dilbar in 2016 for $600 million reported by German ship builder Lürssen, who built it by mail for him after over 52 months of work. The firm calls it the “one of the most complex and challenging yachts ever built, both for dimensions and for technology”. At 15,917 tons, it's the world's largest motor yacht for gross tonnage, and it's usually run by a crew of 96. Dilbar boasts the largest swimming pool ever installed on a yacht, as well as two helicopters, one sauna, a beauty salon and a gym. Its permafrost interior has more than 1,000 pillows and can cut up to 24 people in 12 suites.
Jaht is part of Ussanov's estimated multibillion-dollar wealth, which includes shares in the iron and steel mineral giant Metalloinvest and the Xiaomi consumer electronics firm, as well as smaller properties in telecoms, mines and media. One of the earliest investors on Facebook, along with other billionaire Yuri Milner, Usnovo also owns extensive real estate assets in the West, ranging from two properties in the United Kingdom to Beechwood House in London and Sutton Place in Surrey, valued along with $280m. In luxurious houses in Munich, Germany; Lozane, Switzerland; Monaco; and Sardin.
Ussanov sold 30% of his shares in the English football team Arsenal F.C. to 2018 for nearly 700 million dollars in cash, but until this week it was connected to football through its USM Holdings and MegaFon sponsorship of Everton F.C. Premier League team said Wednesday it was suspending the agreements in the wake of Russia's attack on Ukraine.
He's not the only Russian billionaire with a mega-yaht: Forbes and yacht rating experts VesselsValue tracked 32 of them. Despite being hit by EU sanctions Monday, Usnovo has not yet commented on them or the war in Ukraine.
