While the Oceanco vessel Alfa Nero may not have a silver lining in sight, its crew’s fortunes are decidedly brighter. In a remarkable triumph, Nautilus International has won a judgment from the High Court of Antigua and Barbuda, mandating the payment of over a year’s worth of unpaid wages to the crew of this luxurious vessel. Anchored since March 11, 2022, at Antigua’s Yacht Club Marina, the $120 million yacht, a prized possession of Russian oligarch Andrey Guryev, has been the center of a complex legal saga. Registered under Flying Dutchman Overseas Ltd., the yacht witnessed the abrupt termination of its crew by Burgess on March 10, 2022. The plot thickened on August 2, 2022, when the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on the vessel.
On March 21, 2023, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda declared the yacht abandoned, officially seizing it on April 11, 2023. This seizure marked the beginning of a collaborative effort between the Antiguan government and the United States to authorize the sale of the sanctioned superyacht. In the meantime, a new management company was brought on board to operate the vessel.
The legal battle, initiated by Nautilus International and Captain Christopher Malcolm Lewis in September 2023, culminated in a landmark ruling by the High Court of Antigua and Barbuda. This ruling addresses the owed salaries of the crew members, both those who were part of the original team before the yacht’s abandonment and the skeleton crew employed from March 2022 to April 2023, as reported by Boat International.
Charles Boyle, the director of legal services at Nautilus, expressed immense pride in this significant victory, “This judgment is not just a win; it’s a testament to months of relentless effort. While some crew members may feel a tinge of disappointment for not achieving success in every claim aspect, the fact that we secured over a year’s worth of wages is nothing short of extraordinary, particularly amidst the uncharted waters of Russian sanctions.”
In a twist of events, December saw the crew of the beleaguered Alfa Nero superyacht receiving partial payment of their pending salaries, courtesy of the Antiguan High Court. The judgement promises to compensate the crew at the initially agreed rates, lifting spirits amidst prolonged legal turmoil. Yet, the ultimate resolution hinges on the sale of the Alfa Nero. The proceeds from this sale are earmarked for settling these dues. However, the vessel remains unsold, entangled in legal intricacies fueled by Yulia Guryeva-Motlokhov, Guryev’s daughter.
Despite the complex legal landscape surrounding the seizure and potential sale of the yacht, the court’s decision guarantees payment to the crew, a significant relief as highlighted by Triton.
