Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Oct 18, 2024

The $120 Million Ghost Ship Antigua Is Desperate to Unload

The $120 Million Ghost Ship Antigua Is Desperate to Unload

Cross the gangway and this $120 million floating palace still looks shipshape, even with just a skeleton crew.

It's been more than a year since the Russian superyacht Alfa Nero - all 267 feet and 2,500 gross tons of it - was abandoned in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua.

Cross the gangway and this $120 million floating palace still looks shipshape, even with just a skeleton crew. Red, white and gray Alfa Neropolo shirts are folded just so atop the baby grand piano. On the wall hangs a Miro. The infinity pool - which converts, via hydraulics, into a helipad - sparkles under the Caribbean sun.

And then, on the upper foredeck, in the wood-paneled study of the master suite, lies a clue that life aboard Alfa Nero has taken a very strange turn.

It's a PlayStation with video games like "Call of Duty." It's for the bored crew, since no passengers come aboard anymore.

The Alfa Nero, center, docked in Antigua.


Here on the southern shores of Antigua, where the British navy once chased real-life pirates of the Caribbean, Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine has collided with the hyper-wealth he's helped mint in today's Russia.

What's left of the Alfa Nero's crew, it turns out, has partly commandeered the master suite. The captain sleeps in a guest bedroom, but otherwise the crew mostly remain below deck, leaving the five other luxury cabins, the spa, the gym, the elevator and everything else on board largely unused.

Ghost Ship

Alfa Nero has been docked here since early March 2022, a ghost ship of the war in Ukraine, 5,500 miles (8,851 kilometers) away. Not long after Russian troops crossed the border into Ukraine, the UK slapped sanctions on its purported owner, fertilizer billionaire Andrey Guryev. The US followed in August, sending FBI agents to search the vessel with local law enforcement.

Washington named Guryev as the owner, an allegation the magnate denies. A lawyer for Guryev said he's used Alfa Nero "from time to time" since 2014. Built in the Dutch shipyard Oceanco in 2007, it was until recently available for charter for about $1 million a week.

Just who is the owner is almost impossible to determine from public records given the labyrinthian means many of the world's ultra-rich employ to mask their wealth and assets. The notice of the ship's seizure by the Antiguan government is addressed to Guryev, as well as companies in the British Virgin Islands and Channel Islands. On board, Bloomberg saw notes for the crew that had references to "Mr. and Mrs. G."

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, the US and its allies have issued sanctions against dozens of wealthy Russians to punish Putin and those close to him. In the process, luxury yachts linked to Russia have been transformed from billionaire playthings into symbols of the growing enmity between Russia and the West. More than two dozen vessels worth about $4 billion have been impounded in ports around the world.

Now, Antigua wants to get rid of what it considers an abandoned ship. It formally seized Alfa Nero in April, hoisted an Antiguan flag and, for good measure, posted two security guards on the dock.

Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority "Seized" sign on the bridge of the Alfa Nero.


The harbor-bound Alfa Nero has become a floating hazard, officials say, and an expensive one at that. The crew wants back pay. Diesel for the generator costs a small fortune. Bills have been piling up since Antigua took it over in April, with crew expenses alone costing $112,000 a month.

Authorities here have asked the US to lift its sanctions on the yacht so Antigua can auction it off to the highest bidder. They say they've received roughly 20 bids already.

'Blocked' Property

But as long as Washington continues to designate Alfa Nero as a "blocked" property, the Antiguans worry the proceeds of any sale might end up frozen as banks obey the letter of the law.

So they wait.

"Nobody's laid claim to it, nobody's been paying its bills. It's been running up money left, right and center, and it has become a risk to the harbor itself," Sir Ronald Sanders, Antigua's ambassador to the US, said in a telephone interview.

Antigua has offered to share the identities of potential bidders with the US to ensure any sale complies with Treasury's rules, Sanders said. Treasury officials declined to comment.

And so, day after week after month, the Alfa Nero bobs in the water at the Antigua Yacht Club Marina. The remaining crew scrubs its teak decks. They polish its black hull to a glossy sheen. Other yachts come and go through the bay.

An Antigua Port Authority security officer aboard the Alfa Nero.


For the time being, the stranded Alfa Nero offers a glimpse into the astronomical expense of simply keeping a superyacht afloat.

Its normal crew of 44 has been reduced to six. Twenty-five members have sued to recover $2.1 million in unpaid wages, according to Craig Jacas, a local lawyer representing them.

"Our clients' objective is simply to secure what is lawfully owed to them," Jacas said.

Occasional Dip

The six hands still living aboard take meticulous care of Alfa Nero. They occasionally take a dip in the pool.

The captain passes idle hours in a folding lawn chair on the port side deck. From his perch, he can spy a fleet of other superyachts gliding through the aquamarine harbor. In April, Mogambo, a 241-footer (73 meters) owned by Jan Koum, the Ukrainian-American billionaire who co-founded WhatsApp, pulled into a slip nearby.

Even here, in the relative safety of the marina, sun and sea are a constant menace. Saltwater takes a toll. Alfa Nero must burn diesel constantly to power everything on board. The air conditioning runs 24/7 in order to protect the precious wood, mother of pearl and soft leather adorning the high-design interiors.

"You can't even open the doors on Alfa Nerowithout diesel," said Tom Paterson, the dockmaster at the Antigua Yacht Club. "These boats, from the day they launch to the day they die, are burning fossil fuels."

Another growing worry: the calendar. Hurricane season is approaching once again. Other yachts have already begun to clear out. In September, when Tropical Storm Fiona rolled through, heavy seas threatened the dock-bound Alfa Nero. The marina asked the crew to take the ship out to sea - provided Dockmaster Paterson went along, too, to ensure Alfa Nero didn't make a run for it.

"At this point, the marina would like to get paid," Paterson said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Global Tensions Surge: Hate Crime in Maryland, Rising Middle Eastern Conflicts, and US Political Drama Unfold
Hezbollah Deputy Chief Calls for Ceasefire Amidst Escalating Conflict with Israel
US Warns Israel of Potential Aid Cuts Over Gaza Assistance Delays
Global Solar Initiatives Surge in Saudi Arabia Amidst Rising Middle East Tensions
Israeli Airstrike in Lebanon Sparks UN Investigation Calls Amid Rising Regional Tensions and Global Responses
Saudi Arabia Champions Cultural and Diplomatic Initiatives for Middle East Stability and Palestinian Support
Turkiye Protests Intensify Amid Rising Femicides as Global Tensions Escalate and EU-GCC Summit Approaches
Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council Pushes for Educational Investment, as Global Relations and Cultural Contributions Shine
Lebanon's Healthcare Crisis Amid Conflict, Saudi Arabia's Green Campaign, and Sports Highlights: A Snapshot of Regional Developments
Global Developments: Pakistan's Lockdown for SCO Summit, EU Migration Challenges, US Voting Rights Legal Battles, and Boost in Saudi Markets
Sustainable Innovation: Riyadh's New Murabba Hits Milestone Amid Regional Security and Climate Initiatives
Remarkable Survival Tale and Global Economic Collaborations: From Russia to Saudi Arabia's Expanding Influence
From Saudi Art at G20 to Lebanon's Rising Tensions: Navigating Global Cultural and Political Currents
Kamala Harris Courts Black and Latino Voters; UN Condemns Israeli Attacks; Saudi Arabia Launches International Qur’an Competition; Study of Al-Wahbah Crater Unveils Potential Extraterrestrial Insights; Pioneering Robotic Organ Transplants in Riyadh; Saudi Crown Prince’s Diplomatic Visit to Egypt
Egypt Reduces External Debt by $15 Billion as Islamic Development Bank Commits $3 Billion to Global Projects; Middle East Tensions Highlighted by Recent Developments
Global Developments: Italian Troops' Safety, Afghan Relocations, and Political Shifts in Indonesia
Global Economic Turbulence: IMF Debt Warning, Oil Price Slump, and Sustainability Initiatives
Escalating Tensions in Gaza and Beyond: Regional Leaders Respond Amidst Global Unrest
Rising Tensions: Israel Strikes Lebanon, Iran Denies Missile Transfers, and China Conducts Drills Near Taiwan
Arab American PAC Breaks Tradition, Global Tensions Rise, and New Alliances Form
Russia's Call for a BRICS Financial System Alternative
Israel Vows to Limit Retaliatory Strike on Iran to Military Facilities
Escalating Conflicts: UN Peacekeepers Injured, Ukraine Villages Captured, and Trial for Daesh Crimes Marks Global Tensions
Global Tensions Rise as China Calls for Ceasefire, amidst Polio Outbreak and Innovative Hezbollah Tactics Challenge Israeli Defenses
Erdogan Criticizes UN's Inaction; Global Tensions Rise Over Human Rights and Resource Disputes
Global Tensions Surge: US-UK Airstrikes in Yemen, Diplomatic Shifts in Iran, and Israeli-Lebanese Struggles
Saudi Arabia's Ambitious Moves: Hydrogen Trains, Riyadh Metro, and Smart City Collaborations
Global Tensions and Tragedies: UN Experts Criticize Tunisia's Migrant Policies, Israeli Airstrikes Hit Lebanon, UK Court Hears Family Murder Trial, and New Saudi-Philippines Energy Pact
Saudi Arabia Embraces Sustainable Progress with Energy Pact and Cultural Milestones: From Renewable Innovations to Fashion and Sporting Triumphs
Netanyahu Urges UN to Relocate Lebanon Peacekeepers Amid Escalating Tensions
Tech Boosts Singapore’s Economy to 4.1% Growth in Q3
EU Sanctions Iranian Entities, UNHCR Warns of Global Displacement, and Saudi Arabia Advances Green and Industrial Ventures
Riyadh Season 2024: A Blend of Cultural Marvels and Cybersecurity Initiatives Amidst Middle Eastern Turmoil and Archaeological Revelations
From Desert Adventures to Diplomatic Tensions: Exploring Philby's Legacy and Global Affairs
Qatar's Tourism Boom and Saudi Arabia's Strategic Advances: Highlights from Economic Growth to Humanitarian Efforts
Global Developments: Philippines-Saudi Green Alliance, Pakistan's Security Ops, France's Immigration Shift, Ukraine-Russia Tensions, EU on Israeli Actions, and Dussmann's Strategic Move
Rising Tensions and Humanitarian Crises: Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza and Regional Conflicts Escalate
Global Tensions and Local Challenges: Missile Strikes Shift Defense Focus, Political Security Concerns Rise, and Societal Transformations Unfold
World Bank Warns of Rising Debt; Saudi Arabia Unearths Cave Wonders; Middle East Tensions and U.S. Military Moves; China Conducts Drills Near Taiwan
Sweden Urges EU to Designate Iran's Guards as Terrorists Amid Alleged Recruitment of Swedish Gang Members
Regional Diplomacy Intensifies Amid Rising Tensions Between Hezbollah and Israel
Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030: Pioneering Food Security, Digital Transformation, and Global Partnerships Amidst Regional Tensions
Amid Conflict in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia Charts Path to Global Logistics Leadership and Cultural Enrichment
Madinah Dates Festival Celebrates Heritage Amid Rising Middle East Tensions: A Complex Global Landscape
Saudi Arabia Unveils Ambitious Logistics and Technological Plans Amidst Vision 2030 Reforms
Tensions Escalate in Middle East Following Israeli Airstrike; Saudi Arabia Drives Environmental and Economic Initiatives
Saudi Arabia's Environmental Achievements Shine on IUCN Green List Amid Regional Conflicts and Cultural Celebrations
Global Developments: Saudi Arabia Condemns Land Seizure, Australia Criticizes Calls Against Ceasefire, and Cultural Initiatives in Full Swing
Iran Condemns New U.S. Sanctions Amid Rising Tensions in Middle East and Asia
Regional Tensions Flare as Israel Targets Iranian Sites Amid Saudi Condemnation and Humanitarian Efforts
×