us superyacht

U.S. wins case to seize Russian superyacht in Fiji, sails away

The United States won a legal battle on Tuesday to seize a Russian-owned superyacht in Fiji and wasted no time in taking command of the $325 million vessel and sailing it away from the South Pacific nation.

The court ruling represented a significant victory for the U.S. as it encounters obstacles in its attempts to seize the assets of Russian oligarchs around the world. While those efforts are welcomed by many who oppose the war in Ukraine, some actions have tested the limits of American jurisdiction abroad.

In Fiji, the nation’s Supreme Court lifted a stay order which had prevented the U.S. from seizing the superyacht Amadea.

Chief Justice Kamal Kumar ruled that based on the evidence, the chances of defense lawyers mounting an appeal that the top court would hear were “nil to very slim.”

Kumar said he accepted arguments that keeping the superyacht berthed in Fiji at Lautoka harbor was “costing the Fijian government dearly.”

“The fact that U.S. authorities have undertaken to pay costs incurred by the Fijian government is totally irrelevant,” the judge found. He said the Amadea “sailed into Fiji waters without any permit and most probably to evade prosecution by the United States of America.”

The U.S. removed the motorized vessel within an hour or two of the court’s ruling, possibly to ensure the yacht didn’t get entangled in any further legal action.

In early May, the Justice Department issued a statement saying the Amadea had been seized in Fiji, but that turned out to be premature after lawyers appealed.

It wasn’t immediately clear where the U.S. intended to take the Amadea, which the FBI has linked to the Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov.

Fiji Director of Public Prosecutions Christopher Pryde said unresolved questions of money laundering and the ownership of the Amadea need to be decided in the U.S.

“The decision acknowledges Fiji’s commitment to respecting international mutual assistance requests and Fiji’s international obligations,” Pryde said.

In court documents, the FBI linked the Amadea to the Kerimov family through their alleged use of code names while aboard and the purchase of items such as a pizza oven and a spa bed. The ship became a target of Task Force KleptoCapture, launched in March to seize the assets of Russian oligarchs to put pressure on Russia to end the war.

The 348-foot -long vessel, about the length of a football field, features a live lobster tank, a hand-painted piano, a swimming pool and a large helipad.

Lawyer Feizal Haniff, who represented paper owner Millemarin Investments, had argued the owner was another wealthy Russian who, unlike Kerimov, doesn’t face sanctions.

The U.S. acknowledged that paperwork appeared to show Eduard Khudainatov was the owner but said he was also the paper owner of a second and even larger superyacht, the Scheherazade, which has been linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The U.S. questioned whether Khudainatov could really afford two superyachts worth a total of more than $1 billion.

“The fact that Khudainatov is being held out as the owner of two of the largest superyachts on record, both linked to sanctioned individuals, suggests that Khudainatov is being used as a clean, unsanctioned straw owner to conceal the true beneficial owners,” the FBI wrote in a court affidavit.

Court documents say the Amadea switched off its transponder soon after Russia invaded Ukraine and sailed from the Caribbean through the Panama Canal to Mexico, arriving with over $100,000 in cash. It then sailed thousands of miles (kilometers) across the Pacific Ocean to Fiji.

The Justice Department said it didn’t believe paperwork showing the Amadea was next headed to the Philippines, arguing it was really destined for Vladivostok or elsewhere in Russia.

The department said it found a text message on a crew member’s phone saying, “We’re not going to Russia” followed by a “shush” emoji.

The U.S. said Kerimov secretly bought the Cayman Island-flagged Amadea last year through various shell companies.

Kerimov made a fortune investing in Russian gold producer Polyus, with Forbes magazine putting his net worth at $14.5 billion. The U.S. first sanctioned him in 2018 after he was detained in France and accused of money laundering there, sometimes arriving with suitcases stuffed with 20 million euros.

Khudainatov is the former chairman and chief executive of Rosneft, the state-controlled Russian oil and gas company.

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The U.S. seized Russian oligarchs' superyachts. Now, American taxpayers pay the price

Ayesha Rascoe

Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Stephanie Baker, senior writer at Bloomberg News, about the complications involved in seizing and maintaining superyachts owned by sanctioned Russian billionaires.

AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:

When the U.S. and its allies looked for ways to sanction the Russian elite, they zeroed in on their superyachts, filled with luxuries like heated pools and wine cellars. But as Stephanie Baker reports, the powerful symbolism of seizing a superyacht is followed by the expense of maintaining those pools and wine cellars and everything else aboard these floating palaces. Stephanie Baker is a senior writer at Bloomberg News, and she joins us now. Thanks for being with us.

STEPHANIE BAKER: Thanks for having me.

RASCOE: So you've written a series of articles on the West's seizure of these yachts from Russian oligarchs. What have you learned about what goes into maintaining these types of boats? Like, you can't just let them sit at the dock?

BAKER: No, it's not a case of turning off the lights, locking up the door and leaving them until the war in Ukraine is over. These things take an enormous amount of money to maintain. Even stuck in ports, they have to be staffed with a, you know, minimal crew to be on board in case of accidents, fires, fuel spills, the like. You know, for insurance purposes, insurance is another cost. They need to be washed so they don't entail a multimillion-dollar repaint job. And, you know, it's an incredibly costly process and complicated.

RASCOE: Is part of the issue they don't know what they're going to do with them?

BAKER: Well, in the case of the U.S., they have vowed to sell them eventually through a complicated process called forfeiture, where they have to go before a judge and prove that this superyacht has been bought with the proceeds of crime or involved in some kind of crime. And that is a lengthy, difficult process, especially in the case of Russian-linked superyachts because it's not always clear who the owner is. One forfeiture expert compared it to seizing the proceeds of a drug lord. A drug lord may not have his mansion in his own name. It would be in his girlfriend's name. So there's a long process to establish not who owns it on paper, but who's really controlling it, who's directing it, who's making decisions about it.

RASCOE: So when the U.S. or the EU seizes a yacht, the cost of maintaining that yacht - it actually goes to the taxpayers, right? Like, so how much money are we talking about that taxpayers are paying?

BAKER: It is U.S. taxpayers that are paying for it, at least until they do sell it and then can recoup the costs. Typically, it costs 10% of a superyacht's value to maintain it. But when it's frozen in port, the cost will obviously be less. It's not eating as much fuel by cruising at sea. I did a lot of reporting to try to establish, what are the real costs of keeping these things in port. And I came to a pretty conservative estimate of something like 3%. Now, in the case of one superyacht, the one that the U.S. government seized and sailed from Fiji to San Diego, I established that the annual costs of keeping that in port are about 10 million a year.

RASCOE: So 10 million a year. That's for one yacht?

BAKER: That's for one yacht.

RASCOE: For one yacht.

BAKER: And that's a conservative estimate.

RASCOE: OK. And so all together, do you have any sense of how much that might be?

BAKER: Well, globally, including the EU and the U.K. - they've seized more than 15 superyachts. And we're talking tens of millions. But if you're a sanctioned Russian oligarch with your asset frozen in a port, how long are you really going to pay? So we're looking at potentially years of litigation over these vessels about who's paying, you know, the maintenance. And they're essentially going to be in sort of legal purgatory for many years.

RASCOE: And so, I mean, most of us will never step foot on a superyacht. So it's hard for us to imagine. What is the most outrageous luxury that you've come across or one that, you know, really stood out to you?

BAKER: Right. So I went to the Monaco Yacht Show at the end of September and got on board one of the most luxurious, expensive superyachts. It was just the most incredible floating mansion. It had hand-painted bathrooms, handmade curved bar, a pool, elaborate bedrooms, you know, very high ceilings, multiple decks. They are the most extravagant status symbol, really, amongst the billionaire class.

RASCOE: That's Stephanie Baker, senior writer at Bloomberg News. Thank you so much.

BAKER: Thank you for having me.

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NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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U.S. Officials Say Superyacht Could be Putin’s

They say they have indications that the $700 million, 459-foot yacht, which is in dry dock in Italy, is associated with the Russian president, backing an earlier claim by a former crew member.

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By Julian E. Barnes ,  Michael Forsythe ,  David D. Kirkpatrick and Jason Horowitz

• March 11, 2022

WASHINGTON — American officials are examining the ownership of a $700 million superyacht currently in a dry dock at an Italian seacoast town, and believe it could be associated with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, according to multiple people briefed on the information.

United States intelligence agencies have made no final conclusions about the ownership of the superyacht — called the Scheherazade — but American officials said they had found initial indications that it was linked to Mr. Putin. The information from the U.S. officials came after The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Italian authorities were looking into the 459-foot long vessel’s ownership and that a former crew member said it was for the use of Mr. Putin.

People briefed on the intelligence would not describe what information they had that indicated the superyacht is associated with Mr. Putin. If American officials know whether or how often Mr. Putin uses the yacht, the people briefed on the information would not share it.

American officials said Mr. Putin kept little of his wealth in his own name. Instead he uses homes and boats nominally owned by Russian oligarchs. Still, it is possible that through various shell companies, Mr. Putin could have more direct control of the Scheherazade.

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic Mr. Putin has also spent large amounts of time in the Russian resort city of Sochi on the Black Sea, U.S. officials said. The Scheherazade made trips to Sochi in the summers of 2020 and 2021.

Both the Treasury Department’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis and the Navy’s Office of Naval Intelligence are investigating the ownership of superyachts associated with Russian oligarchs. A spokesman for the Navy and a spokeswoman for the Treasury both declined to comment.

The Justice Department has set up a task force to go after the assets of sanctioned Russian oligarchs. In a discussion with reporters on Friday, a Justice Department official said the task force would be investigating individuals who help sanctioned Russian officials or oligarchs hide their assets. Those individuals could face charges related to sanctions violations or international money laundering charges.

In addition, under recently published Commerce Department rule changes, if more than 25 percent of a plane or a yacht is made of U.S.-manufactured airplane or marine parts, it cannot go to Russia.

If a yacht is in a foreign country and meets the definition of a U.S.-origin or U.S.-made product, it would need a license to go to Russia. To actually seize a yacht, the United States would need to coordinate with a cooperative foreign government — Italy, in the case of the Scheherazade — to prevent the ship from moving to Russian waters.

Some superyachts moved out of European waters as the invasion of Ukraine began and the West began imposing sanctions allowing asset seizures. The Scheherazade is undergoing repairs in Marina di Carrara, a port in Tuscany, and as of earlier this week was in dry dock, unable to get underway.

Guy Bennett-Pearce, the Scheherazade’s captain, said earlier this week that Mr. Putin was not the owner of the superyacht and that the Russian president had not set foot on it.

He declined to give the name of the owner, saying on Monday only that it was not anyone facing sanctions. Captain Bennett-Pearce did not answer his phone on Friday or respond to a text message.

Last week, Italian authorities boarded the Scheherazade and examined certification documents, seeking to learn more about the vessel’s ownership. Captain Bennett-Pearce said earlier this week that he would provide the Italian police with documents that divulged the yacht’s owner.

Italian authorities said they were taking a deep look at the Scheherazade. Under a process that may take as long as a couple of weeks, Italy’s financial police will gather evidence and present it to a government committee, which will then decide whether ownership or use of the ship is connected to someone on the sanctions list.

That connection could be outright ownership of a significant portion of the ship, or evidence that a friend, underling or associate lent his or her name to hide the sanctioned person’s ownership, or that funds used to buy the ship came from illegal profits. If the committee finds that the evidence meets the threshold, the financial police can impound the Scheherazade.

The Italian Sea Group , which owns the shipyard where the Scheherazade is dry-docked, said in a statement on Thursday that based on documents it had and “checks carried out by the relevant authorities,” the Scheherazade “is not attributable to the property of Russian President Vladimir Putin.”

American officials have been stepping up their examination of the superyachts of Russian oligarchs, particularly as the United States and Europe have imposed more sanctions against the wealthy families that support Mr. Putin.

The German-built Scheherazade has been in service since June 2020. The website SuperYachtFan estimated that it cost $700 million. The ship has a full-size gym, two helicopter decks and gold-plated fixtures in the washrooms.

While American intelligence officials have been looking at the Scheherazade, the scrutiny has increased after the publication of the earlier article in The Times.

The Scheherazade appears to have a sister ship, the Crescent , built by the same German manufacturer and put into service in 2018. The Crescent’s project name when it was under construction was “ Thunder. ” The Scheherazade’s was “ Lightning .”

Like the Scheherazade, there is no public information identifying the ship’s owner, other than an offshore shell company. The Crescent last broadcast its position on Nov. 2, when it appeared to be approaching Barcelona, Spain. Satellite images show that as of March 4 it was moored at a marina catering to superyachts near there. Both vessels are registered in the Cayman Islands and both share the same designer .

Katie Benner contributed reporting from Washington, Christoph Koettl from New York, and Gaia Pianigiani from Siena, Italy.

Julian E. Barnes is a national security reporter based in Washington, covering the intelligence agencies. Before joining The Times in 2018, he wrote about security matters for The Wall Street Journal. More about Julian E. Barnes

Michael Forsythe is a reporter on the investigations team. He was previously a correspondent in Hong Kong, covering the intersection of money and politics in China. He has also worked at Bloomberg News and is a United States Navy veteran. More about Michael Forsythe

David D. Kirkpatrick is an investigative reporter based in New York and the author of “Into the Hands of the Soldiers: Freedom and Chaos in Egypt and the Middle East.“ In 2020 he shared a Pulitzer Prize for reporting on covert Russian interference in other governments and as the Cairo bureau chief from 2011 to 2015 he led coverage of the Arab Spring uprisings. More about David D. Kirkpatrick

Jason Horowitz is the Rome bureau chief, covering Italy, the Vatican, Greece and other parts of Southern Europe. He previously covered the 2016 presidential campaign, the Obama administration and Congress, with an emphasis on political profiles and features. More about Jason Horowitz

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

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For residents of Ukraine’s second-largest city, daily Russian attacks have escalated fears  but have not brought life to a standstill. Here’s how a battered city  carries on.

The authorities in Poland and Germany have arrested at least five of their citizens  and accused them of spying for Russia or of offering to help Moscow commit violence on European soil, including a “possible attack” on the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.

The drone combat in Ukraine that is transforming modern warfare has begun taking a deadly toll on one of the most powerful symbols  of American military might — the tank — and threatening to rewrite how it will be used in future conflicts.

Resuming U.S. Military Aid: Weapons from the support package, considered “a lifeline” for Ukraine’s military , could be arriving on the battlefield within days . But experts say it could take weeks before there is a direct impact on the war . What would $60 billion buy ?

World Military Spending: The world spent more on military costs and weapons in 2023  than it had in 35 years, driven in part by the war in Ukraine and the threat of an expanded Russian invasion, according to an independent analysis.

New American Technology: Project Maven was meant to revolutionize modern warfare. But the conflict in Ukraine has underscored  how difficult it is to get 21st-century data into 19th-century trenches.

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We monitor and authenticate reports on social media, corroborating these with eyewitness accounts and interviews. Read more about our reporting efforts .

Watch CBS News

Superyacht seized by U.S. from Russian billionaire arrives in San Diego Bay

June 27, 2022 / 3:40 PM EDT / CBS/AP

A $325 million superyacht seized by the United States from a sanctioned Russian oligarch arrived in San Diego Bay on Monday.

The 348-foot-long (106-meter-long) Amadea flew an American flag as it sailed past the retired aircraft carrier USS Midway and under the Coronado Bridge.

"After a transpacific journey of over 5,000 miles (8,047 kilometers), the Amadea has safely docked in a port within the United States, and will remain in the custody of the U.S. government, pending its anticipated forfeiture and sale," the Department of Justice said in a statement.

The FBI linked the Amadea to the Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov, and the vessel became a target of Task Force KleptoCapture, launched in March to seize the assets of Russian oligarchs to put pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine. The U.S. said Kerimov secretly bought the vessel last year through various shell companies.

But Justice Department  officials had been stymied  by a legal effort to contest the American seizure warrant and by a yacht crew that refused to sail for the U.S. American officials won a legal battle in Fiji to take the Cayman Islands-flagged superyacht earlier this month. 

The Amadea made a stop in Honolulu Harbor en route to the U.S. mainland. The Amadea boasts  luxury features  such as a helipad, mosaic-tiled pool, lobster tank and a pizza oven, nestled in a décor of "delicate marble and stones" and "precious woods and delicate silk fabrics," according to court documents.

"The successful seizure and transport of Amadea would not have been possible without extraordinary cooperation from our foreign partners in the global effort to enforce U.S. sanctions imposed in response to Russia's unprovoked and unjustified war in Ukraine," the Justice Department said.

More from CBS News

Russian court extends Evan Gershkovich's pretrial detention yet again

Why you should get a home equity loan before May

Celebrity designer faces prison for smuggling crocodile handbags

Russian church suspends priest who led Alexey Navalny memorial service

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Breaking news, move aside, billionaire bunkers — this company is building superyacht submersibles for the mega-rich.

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Talk about making a splash.

Move over, billionaire bunkers — because Austrian company Migaloo is bringing the ultimate in luxury to the depths of the ocean with its groundbreaking concept: the private submersible superyacht.

Forget sprawling mansions, this is the era of underwater extravagance.

Migaloo has unveiled its ambitious vision for what it touts as the “world’s one and only private submersible superyacht,” presenting “a not-yet-existing alternative to large privately owned surface vessels.”

Imagine descending 820 feet into the azure depths, and in the confines of a luxury vessel.

Dubbed the M5, this submarine marvel boasts dimensions that rival the grandeur of any floating palace, stretching 545 feet in length and 75 feet across at its widest point. And with a range of 9,320 miles, it’s poised to explore the farthest reaches of the ocean.

But luxury isn’t just about size; it’s about customization.

Migaloo understands this, offering its elite clientele a blank canvas.

From helipads to hot air balloons, underwater shark-feeding stations to sub-tenders for aquatic adventures, the options are as limitless as the depths themselves.

Security is paramount in this world of excess, and Migaloo doesn’t disappoint.

Partnering with US security experts SAFE, it promises a level of protection that even James Bond would envy. It’s a private submersible fortress, ensuring the safety of both occupants and valuables alike.

“Owners are looking for privacy, security and protection for themselves, their guests and their valuables,” CEO Christian Gumpold states on Migaloo’s website. 

The vessel could remain submerged for up to four weeks at a time.

Of course, such exclusivity comes at a price.

While the exact cost remains a closely guarded secret, estimates hover around a staggering $2 billion, with maintenance costs likely to add even more to the bill.

Yet, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen such audacious concepts.

Aston Martin flirted with the idea of a luxury submarine back in 2017, while Migaloo itself made waves with their floating island concept, Kokomo Ailand.

The question remains: will the M5 become a reality, or will it remain a tantalizing dream for the super-rich?

Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: the era of billionaire basement bunkers is officially submerged.

But let’s hope it’s fate is nothing like the Titanic submersible which imploded last summer , killing five, including Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet.

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Top 10 Superyacht Marinas in the United States

Best marinas to dock your boat..

Marine, marina, harbor, yacht club, port — not exactly synonyms, but close. A marina provides safe dockage for vessels of all sizes, often offering supplies, repair, and other facilities to those who rent a slip. A quick (but unreliable) Google search told us that there at about 12,000 marinas in the United States.

Whether that’s true or not, that’s a lot to sift through. But we did it — we found the top 10 superyacht marinas in the U.S.

1. Yacht Haven Grande | Miami, Florida

“Welcome to Miami” is the vibe when you step off the yacht and into Yacht Haven Grande by Island Gardens. This marina is nothing short of flash and accommodates some of the largest superyachts in the world. 

This Miami marina was specifically designed to host mega yachts reaching 500+ feet in length, plus accommodation for smaller tenders. Onsite amenities include a luxury lounge, conference room, mail and package delivery, concierge service, BBQ area for crew, and water taxi to select Miami waterfronts. Yacht Haven Grande is a true marina destination, and one of the finest in the world.

Bonus: Denison’s Miami office is nearby to help you with your new yacht search.

Max boat length: 500+ feet

2. Gurney’s Star Island Marina | Montauk, New York

All the way at the End of the World (as Montauk, NY is so often referred to), is Gurney’s Star Island Marina . It’s part of a larger resort and therefore offers plenty of amenities for boat owners who book a slip. Despite a sense of exclusivity, Gurney’s Star Island Marina does not require a membership. 

The marina can accommodate yachts up to 220 feet with a maximum draft of 12 feet. Boat guests have full access to Gurney’s Star Island facilities and amenities, including laundry services, a private beach, a fitness center, heated pools, tennis courts, and waterfront dining options. It’s a welcome land excursion for yacht charters in New England . 

Max boat length: 220 feet

3. Bahia Mar Yachting Center | Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Smack dab in the heart of Fort Lauderdale is the Bahia Mar Resort and Yachting Center (also home to the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show ). It’s all about the amenities when you dock at Bahia Mar, which includes access to a swimming pool, fitness center, entertainment concierge, diving and sailing tours, and dining options. Oh, and the beach is right across the street. 

The marina is separated into the South Basin and the North Basin, with the resort, parking, shops, and restaurants conveniently in the middle. Bahia Mar holds 250 slips and can accommodate vessels up to 300 feet in length. Facilities include fueling, free WiFi, cable television, and pump out. Best to book ahead of time — about 90% of the slips are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Stop by Denison’s Fort Lauderdale office to speak with a superyacht specialist. 

Max boat length: 300 feet

4. Safe Harbor Charleston City | Charleston, South Carolina

Safe Harbor has locations all over the west and east coasts, but its marina in Charleston , South Carolina is one of the best superyacht marinas in the United States. It’s home to the Mega Dock (dun, dun duunn), which hosts some of the most prestigious yachts in the world.

Charleston is a premier boating destination , and the marina’s state-of-the-art facilities and southern hospitality are a welcome respite after a big day on the water. Yachts that book a slip at Safe Harbor receive complimentary wifi, shore power hookups, freshwater hookups, and cable TV hookups. They also have a full marine service, fuel dock, and waterfront restaurant. While membership is not required to dock at this marina, you can become a member of Safe Harbor to gain access to an entire network of premium locations, amenities, and events.

Stop by Denison’s Charleston office to learn more about yachts for sale. 

Max boat length: 455 feet

5. Marina del Rey Marina | Los Angeles, California

Marina del Rey hosts one of the largest marinas in the U.S. It can accommodate vessels up to 150 feet in length and up to 5,000 yachts year-round. Californians do things big — the marina has hotel rooms, restaurants, a Denison office , a movie theater, paddleboard rentals, and a shopping center (among other amenities ). It’s a short drive to/from Santa Monica for the beach or LAX to catch a flight. When you book a slip at Marina del Rey Marina, you’ll get security, fresh water, power, ice delivery, wash and fold delivery, and dockside shuttle service.

Max boat length: 150 feet

6. Farley State Marina | Atlantic City, New Jersey

Dock the yacht and head for the slots. Farley State Marina is part of the Golden Nugget Casino in Atlantic City. This protected marina offers 630 floating slips and dockage for vessels up to 300 feet in length. When you rent a boat slip at Farley State, you get exclusive resort amenities including access to the H20 Rooftop Pool and Bar. Spend a day on the water then enjoy the award-winning restaurants, shows, casino games, and nightlife at the Golden Nugget.

7. Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina | San Diego, California

The Marriott Marquis and Marina in San Deigo offers a prime waterfront location for your yacht or boat. The Marina District is ideally located downtown with easy access to catch a Padres game, tour the USS Midway Museum, or bar hop in the Gaslamp Quarter.

This 450-slip marina accommodates vessels from 25 to 125 feet. Because this marina is part of the Marriott, guests can order room service to their boat, gain access to the pool, or use the fitness center. Say hello to the Denison San Diego team while you’re there. 

Max boat length: 125 feet

8. DiMillo’s Marina | Portland, Maine

In the heart of Portland’s Old Port is DiMillo’s Marina , an iconic neighborhood staple. It’s a two-minute walk to Portland’s historic downtown area with plenty of bars and restaurants, plus provision and marine services. DiMillos offers summer, winter, year-round, and transient dockage with amenities such as a gated facility, wifi, electricity, sewer, and fuel. 

Max boat length: 250 feet

9. Stock Island Yacht Club And Marina | Key West, Florida

Stock Island Marina is one of the best marinas in the Florida Keys. It provides guests with excellent amenities including a waterfront pool, waterfront restaurant, event space, and fitness center; the unrivaled location is an ideal haven for boating, sailing, scuba diving, and sportfishing. Stock Island Marina can accommodate vessels up to 101 feet, with a max draft of 7 feet. By land, it’s about four miles from Key West International Airport and 10 minutes from the bars and restaurants on Duval Street.

Max boat length: 101 feet

10. Tidewater Yacht Marina | Portsmouth, Virginia

At mile marker zero on the Intercoastal Waterway is Tidewater Yacht Marina in Portsmouth, Virginia. It’s the halfway point between Florida and New York, a perfect pit stop for yachts traveling up and down the east coast. Tidewater Yacht Marina offers 300 slips — transient slips can accommodate boats as small as 20′ to yachts over 150’ in length. The marina offers restrooms, showers, laundry, and free wifi for guests. 

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77 alen yachts 2023 sold by alex g. clarke [sunya].

77 Alen Yachts 2023 Sold by Alex G. Clarke [SUNYA] SUNYA, a 77′ Alen Yachts built in 2023 was sold by Alex G. Clarke, who represented both the Seller and the Buyer. Designed to provide an unmatched level of luxury and performance, SUNYA comfortably accommodates six guests across three elegantly

High-Definition Screen Time

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82 catana 2007 sold by jason walton [paradoxe].

82 Catana 2007 Sold by Jason Walton [PARADOXE] PARADOXE, an 82′ Catana built in 2007 was sold by Jason Walton, who introduced the Buyer. Alexis de Boucaud with The Multihull Company represented the Seller. CATANA and designer Gilles VATON , with this 82’, raised the turn over for

Joe Lewis’ $250 million superyacht, ranked among the world’s 25-most valuable, sets sail after he pays US fine

Joe Lewis’ superyacht is on the move again after spending most of the past year holed up in a Mediterranean port while the British billionaire faced insider-trading charges in the US.

His 322-foot (98-meter) Aviva — which he put up as collateral for bail —  has traveled more than 400 nautical miles from Malta to cities along Albania’s coast as well as the Greek island of Zakynthos since  he was sentenced  April 4 to three years probation, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

After departing Zakynthos earlier this week, the Tavistock Group founder’s yacht was near Kalamata in southern Greece on Thursday morning local time, the data show. It’s the most the roughly $250 million vessel has traveled in about seven months, though it’s unclear if Lewis is on board.

Lewis, 87, pledged his yacht along with his private jet to secure his release following his arrest in July. A few months later, Aviva docked until April 5 in the Maltese capital of Valletta, where it can cost as much as €750 ($800) a night to moor vessels that exceed 75 meters.

Lewis, who was scheduled to have eye surgery in London recently, was prohibited from setting foot on the yacht that has long served as part-residence, part-office while awaiting trial. He was only allowed on board after paying a $5 million fine after sentencing, which he settled soon after the verdict in Manhattan.

A representative for Lewis, who has a net worth of about $7.3 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, declined to comment.

Lewis, whose global empire includes five-star hotels, private lenders and enclaves for the wealthy, launched Aviva in 2017. It includes eight guest suites, a helipad, padel tennis court, spa and a cinema. It ranked among the world’s 25-most valuable superyachts shortly after its launch, alongside those owned by Middle Eastern royals.

The yacht has also displayed works from Lewis’ private art collection, which is valued at more than $1 billion and includes pieces by Picasso, Freud, Klimt and Degas.

Events that authorities say took place on the yacht were a key piece of evidence that prosecutors used against him. 

At dinner one night in September 2019, the billionaire received favorable news about Mirati Therapeutics Inc., an oncology company where he was a major investor, leading him to pass along the tip to a host of people, including the pilots of his private jet, according to US regulators.

Those pilots — Bryan “Marty” Waugh and Patrick O’Connor — were also charged with trading on inside information. O’Connor pleaded guilty to securities fraud and conspiracy and is due to be sentenced in May, while Waugh is fighting the charges.

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Submersible superyachts for billionaires: This Austrian company wants to build them

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There’s been a trend in recent years for billionaire basements – subterranean extensions to the homes of the rich and famous, where they can bunker down and live large.

Now an Austrian company wants to extend this opportunity for deep-dive delights to the world of superyachts, by building customized private submersibles that can descend 250 meters (820 feet) beneath the ocean surface and remain submerged for up to four weeks.

Migaloo has revealed its ambitious plans for what it claims will be the “world’s one and only private submersible superyacht,” offering “a not-yet-existing alternative to large privately owned surface vessels.”

Billionaires’ playground

This submarine, named M5, would measure 165.8 meters in length and 23 meters across at its widest point, with a range of around 15,000 kilometers and a speed of up to 20 knots when surfaced (or 12 knots when underwater). However, says Migaloo, “The wished dimensions of the submarine-yacht hybrid, the exterior styling and the interior design are up to the owners’ preferences.”

So, like any billionaires’ superyacht worth its salt, the default design includes a helipad, a swimming pool and spa, a gym, art gallery cinema, party area with DJ booth, along with plenty of spaces to lounge or dine. Optional extras include a hot air balloon and underwater shark-feeding station.

There are also sub-tenders that can be specified, so up to 12 guests can set out on smaller submarines for more water-based antics.

‘Private submersible fortress’

“Owners are looking for privacy, security and protection for themselves, their guests and their valuables,” says CEO Christian Gumpold on Migaloo’s website. Customized security systems will be provided by US partner SAFE, promising “beyond military grade protection” for what it’s calling a “private submersible fortress.”

What’s the price tag on this private water wonderland? Well, there is no specific project price tag, due to all those juicy customization options, but the widely reported estimate for the Migaloo M5 is about $2 billion for starters (and that’s before you consider maintenance).

Submarine dreams

The M5 uses proven technologies borrowed from existing motor yachts and submersibles, such as double-hull construction and multiple pressure hulls, which helps on the safety and feasibility fronts. Although the question still remains as to who is deep-pocketed enough to buy this submersible Bond villain lair.

It’s not the first attempt to create a luxury submarine. Aston Martin revealed plans for a $4 million concept vessel in 2017. And it’s not the first time Migaloo has hit headlines for floating its extraordinary visions. At the Monaco Yacht Show in 2015, it showcased plans for Kokomo Ailand , its 80-meter-tall private floating island (with waterfall) that you can sail.

So will the Migaloo M5 concept vessel sail happily into reality or sink without a trace? It’s hard to say, but there’s probably some time to start saving your pennies.

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Jefferies CEO sold $65 million in stock to buy a yacht from a client

• Jefferies CEO Rich Handler sold $65 million in company stock to buy a luxury yacht.
• He's buying a Westport 164 from his friend and Jefferies client Tilman Fertitta.
• Handler isn't planning any more stock sales, he said on Wednesday.

Jefferies CEO Rich Handler sold $65 million of his stock in the company to buy himself a gift — a luxury yacht.

Handler sold 1.5 million shares, or 7% of his holdings, to purchase a "personal boat and to pay tax obligations," the investment bank said in a Wednesday statement.

"My sale of shares today was a gift to myself and my family, and I do not intend to sell any further shares," Handler said in the statement. "I remain extremely bullish on Jefferies."

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The boat is a Westport 164 yacht and was purchased from Jefferies client and Handler's longtime friend Tilman Fertitta, the Financial Times reported .

Fertitta is the billionaire CEO of hospitality company Landry's and owns the Houston Rockets, an NBA team. The two men jointly own Lancadia Holdings, a blank-check company.

Handler, who has been with the bank since 1990, has received about 70% of his pay in the form of company shares, Jefferies said in the statement. He has previously sold shares only for tax purposes and charity, the bank said.

Jefferies did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Investors often view executives' stock sales as a signal about lack of company confidence, so any sales are carefully messaged.

In October, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said he would sell 1 million of his 8.6 million shares, his first sale since becoming CEO in 2006. The filing announcing the planned sale said Dimon chose to sell the stocks "for financial diversification and tax-planning purposes" and that he "continues to believe the company's prospects are very strong." He sold the first of the sets of shares in February for $150 million and sold the remainder earlier this month , pocketing $183 million in total proceeds.

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Inspire Initiative

We are currently SOLD OUT.  If you would like to be added to our waiting list, please contact the USSA Office at 954-792-8666 or via email at [email protected] . 

The US Superyacht Association (USSA) is proud to announce the creation of a new and cutting-edge event designed to showcase, support and celebrate the women of the superyacht industry with a renewed sense of strength and confidence, christened the Inspire Initiative.

We invite you to join us for an afternoon lunch with presentations from high-profile women who have risen to the pinnacles of their respective industries in often male-centric trades, who will share their experiences and pathways to the top. In addition, there will also be an interactive panel presentation including women from various stages of their careers who will reveal their own challenges and their secrets to success.

After lunch, stay for more networking and enjoy  complimentary Rosé wine, compliments of Cotes de  Femme, while sharing your own experiences and  making new friends. No matter what position,  the Inspire Initiative is definitely an afternoon  you won’t want to miss!

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Dutch auction house to sell off pro-Russian oligarch's superyacht

Dutch auction house Troowtwijk Auctions will put a superyacht belonging to pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk under the hammer. The funds raised from the sale of the Royal Romance will go toward replenishing Ukraine’s budget, said the Ukrainian government agency, Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA).

The 92.5-meter-long yacht has five stories and a swimming pool on board. It was seized in Croatia in March 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine, and possession was recently transferred to Ukraine. The country chose Troostwijk as the most suitable auction house to sell the yacht.

Viktor Medvedchuk is a businessman and politician placed on the United States sanctions list in 2014 for his role in the annexation of Crimea, NOS reported . According to the U.S. authorities, he is a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Czech Republic also accused Medvedchuk of a Russian disinformation campaign involving paying off European politicians via a website based in Prague used to spread Russian propaganda.

According to ARMA, the Royal Romance is the first sanctioned asset seized outside Ukraine to be auctioned. Olena Duma of ARMA spoke of a “big victory.”

A Croatian judge approved the Royal Romance’s transfer to Ukraine. The country handed the ship over with the message, “Whoever buys Medvedchuk’s yacht will deal a political blow to the Putin regime and get a place on the pages of world history.”