Russia’s richest man Alexey Mordashov, is steering his 465-foot, $500 million megayacht Nord into the icy wilderness of the Arctic, becoming one of the few billionaires to venture this far north. After staying off the radar for most of the past three years, Nord has resurfaced as the first luxury superyachts to fly the Russian flag. And it’s not cruising the Mediterranean this time. The opulent superyacht is heading straight to the Chukchi Sea, stretching as far as Wrangel Island.
This bold voyage, tracked by Arctic monitoring channel Arctida on Telegram, will see Mordashov push the boundaries of superyacht exploration. Set to sail across a vast 595,000 km² expanse that remains ice-free for barely four months each year, Nord has received a special permit from Russia’s federal agency GlavSevmorput.
The clearance, issued in July 2025, allows the vessel to operate in the Arctic from August 1 through September 30. With her ice-class capabilities and 10,000-ton steel build, Nord is transforming from a floating palace to a true expedition vessel. Mordashov, the owner of steel giant Severstal, is proving to be a man of steel himself. While the yacht can host up to 36 guests, it remains unknown who will accompany him on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure to Wrangel and Herald Islands, part of a UNESCO World Heritage reserve.
Here, Mordashov won’t just sail the road less traveled; he’ll witness the highest plant and animal diversity of any Arctic island. The yacht’s sleek, whale-like champagne hull will blend into a surreal seascape of Pacific walrus haul-outs and roaming polar bears. From the privacy of his sun terrace, he may spot rare migratory birds swooping across the skies of what scientists call the “Galápagos of the High Arctic.”
Built in 2020, Nord has previously made headlines while gliding through exotic Mediterranean hotspots, Côte d’Azur, Sardinia, Capri, and Spain’s Balearic Islands. But by 2022, geopolitical tensions and sanctions rendered it nearly idle, wasting its nautical brilliance. Now, the yacht is finally getting its due.
Complete with a swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa, sun terrace, and diving center, Nord is trading its party vibe for polar thrills. Her packed tender garage will shine in this untouched locale, with 14 custom tenders, including two modified Windy SR52 Blackbirds, a Triton personal submarine, and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for safe underwater exploration of ice-covered terrains. Inside, guests will enjoy a formal lounge lined with deep nautical blue couches and panoramic windows offering uninterrupted 360-degree views of the Arctic wilderness.
As stunning the Nord is equally controversial
Nord first sparked headlines in October 2022 when it cruised into Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, its ice‑blue lights stealing the skyline. U.S. officials, citing Treasury sanctions on owner Alexey Mordashov, quietly asked the city to hold the yacht, yet local authorities declined, noting that American penalties are not automatically enforced there. The episode went viral, turning Nord into a talking‑point megastar and showing how sanctioned fortunes can still sip champagne on deck while navigating the gray areas of international waters.
The billionaire behind the voyage
With an estimated net worth of $25 billion, Mordashov is among Russia’s wealthiest individuals. He owns a 77% stake in Severstal, the publicly traded steelmaker, and holds a Master’s in engineering and economics from the Leningrad Engineering-Economic Institute. The father of seven has built a vast empire spanning travel, banking, and media, rising from a steel mill economist to a global titan.
Though many of his assets, including a private jet and another yacht (Lady M), were frozen or seized under sanctions, Nord managed to avoid seizure, and now it’s charting one of the most ambitious routes of any billionaire-owned yacht. It is our assumption that this Arctic expedition could be Mordashov’s early 60th birthday gift to himself (he was born on September 26, 1965), a truly fitting celebration for a man who deals in steel and sails among icebergs.
