The saga of Russian oligarchs and their superyachts continues. Much like eloped lovers who need to stay out of the reach of families, Roman Abramovich’s $600 million superyacht Solaris won’t get an extra day of solace and has left a port in Turkey. A few weeks ago, Solaris was found aimlessly cruising on the high seas to avoid seizure before finding temporary refuge in the ports of Turkey. Abramovich must’ve heaved a sigh of relief that his prized possessions Solaris and Eclipse superyachts are finally out of the reach of EU authorities.
Unfortunately for the Chelsea F.C. owner, the London-based company that operates the terminal, Global Ports Holding (GPH), sheltering the oligarch’s yacht, was pressed to act. Finally, the Mayfair-headquartered company that runs Bodrum Cruise Port gave in to pressure and refused services to Solaris.
New York Post shared that Global Ports Holding said it lacked the authority to reject the Solaris but noted it would not accept berthing fees while the boat was at port. “This responsibility and decision sit with the Turkish Authorities, and as concessionaire, GPH must comply with such a decision as long as the decision is legal under the applicable laws. However, and notwithstanding the difficulties of any party to correctly identify the actual ownership of such assets, GPH has not and will not receive any service fee or other payments concerning the berthing of this superyacht at Bodrum Cruise Port,” the company statement mentioned.
Roman Abramovich can take a page out of sanctioned oligarch Alexei Mordashov’s book. The billionaire had it sail back home to Vladivostok, Russia to avoid the seizure of his darling $500 million megayacht Nord. He managed the feat by occasionally turning off location transponders to avoid capture.
The larger-than-life $600 million megayacht Solaris is not only ultra-expensive but also a once-in-a-lifetime kind of asset that houses 48 cabins across eight cascading decks. The most expensive custom-made superyacht ever built requires no less than a crew of 60 for its upkeep.
Will Solaris reach its home base in Russia and continue its favorable fate in avoiding seizure, or will Roman Abramovich’s long list of fancy possessions be cut short by a superyacht or two? The gliding goliath is packed with well-appointed staterooms, a gym, a sauna, a wellness center, a Jacuzzi, and several well-designed lounge areas around the ship.
In addition to an outdoor ‘beach club,’ there are 20 high-speed jet skis available at any time and at least one helicopter to ferry guests from ship to shore. It would surely break his heart if Abramovich had to part ways with this beauty.
