alfa nero yacht current owner

Superyacht abandoned by a Russian fertilizer billionaire has a new secret owner, who got it for a huge discount

The Alfa Nero superyacht, which has been abandoned in the Caribbean for more than two years, has a new owner.

The 267-foot (81-meter) vessel, complete with a baby grand piano and a swimming pool that turns into a helipad, sold for $40 million last week, said Ronald Sanders, Antigua and Barbuda’s ambassador to the US. He declined to name the buyer, citing a confidentiality agreement.

The sale marks the latest attempt to end the years-long Alfa Nero saga. A Russian oligarch abandoned the luxury yacht in Antigua in March 2022, after being sanctioned by the US Treasury. Then tech billionaire Eric Schmidt tried buying it at auction, only to give up when the sale became a legal quagmire.

Meanwhile, the vessel sat in Antigua’s Falmouth Harbour being tended to by a skeleton crew and costing over a $100,000 a month to maintain.

At $40 million, the new Alfa Nero owner will end up paying far less than the $67.6 million that Schmidt, a former Google CEO, had offered last year. Sanctioned Russian fertilizer billionaire Andrey Guryev had originally bought the Alfa Nero in 2014 for $120 million, the US Treasury Department said — which Guryev denies.

His daughter, Yulia Gurieva-Motlokhov, later stepped forward to claim ownership of the yacht, triggering a legal dispute.

“It’s not worth 40 million, it’s worth way more,” said Richard Higgins, a broker with Northrop & Johnson who represented the undisclosed buyer. “They needed to get the boat sold.”

Higgins said the new owner is European and will likely put the Alfa Nero on the charter market.

The Alfa Nero is among more than a dozen superyachts pinned down in ports around the globe after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 brought a series of economic sanctions against Russian oligarchs. Many of the vessels have been stuck in limbo amid costly legal disputes and racking up maintenance costs.

The Phi superyacht has been moored in London since 2022 while other vessels are stuck in Italy and Spain. There’s also the Amadea, a 348-foot ship with a lobster tank and hand-painted clouds on the dining-room ceiling, which was seized from its alleged oligarch owner in Fiji and now sits in California. Last month, a New York court denied the US government’s request to sell the Amadea, Voice of America reported .

Alfa Nero’s new owner “is not included in the sanctions list of any country or institution,” Ambassador Sanders said.

The latest attempt to sell the Alfa Nero was brokered through a private contract, the port manager, Darwin Telemaque, said in a phone call. He also declined to name the buyer. Telemaque expects the proceeds will cover the millions of dollars in port fees the Alfa Nero has racked up.

“I am very happy that the ship is no longer the responsibility of the people and the government of Antigua and Barbuda,” he said.

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It’s Been A Long Ride But Oceanco’s Alfa Nero Finally Has An Owner

After two years of legal wrangling, the iconic 81.3-metre Alfa Nero has been sold this year for $40 million, with Northrop & Johnson’s Richard Higgins brokering the deal in record time (10 days). The sale comes after the yacht’s abandonment and two-year legal standoff.

So What Happened With Alfa Nero?

A yacht trapped in legal limbo.

Alfa Nero was seized in 2022 after its sanctioned owner left it stranded, accumulating unpaid crew wages and hefty maintenance bills. The government of Antigua and Barbuda eventually declared it abandoned, and the yacht was put on the market while crew played Call of Duty all summer with nowhere to take the yacht.

Funds to Clear Debts and Fill Gaps

The proceeds from the sale will help cover outstanding debts, including unpaid wages and a portion of Antigua’s £220 million budget shortfall. The sale brings much-needed financial relief to the island after the yacht’s costly stay.

Eric Schmidt’s Failed Auction Bid

In 2023, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt tried to buy Alfa Nero at auction for £67 million, but the sale collapsed due to last-minute legal battles initiated by the yacht’s original owner, blocking the deal.

A Legendary Yacht with Impressive Features

Despite the drama, Alfa Nero remains a masterpiece of design. Known for its 12-metre pool that can turn into a helipad or dancefloor, the yacht, designed by Nuvolari Lenard, has always been a standout since its launch in 2007.

End of an Era, Start of a New Chapter

Now with a new owner, Alfa Nero is ready to leave its past behind and embark on a fresh journey. No more legal troubles, just smooth sailing ahead!

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Maisie Granger

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