The Alfa Nero superyacht has been moored and motionless for so long that even updates on its fate arouse no excitement. However, the latest news is the last straw in a seemingly never-ending legal wrangle. After two years of abandonment in Antigua and Barbuda, the $120 million pleasure craft was finally sold for $40 million.
The buyer’s identity is undisclosed, but there was speculation he comes from a wealthy Turkish family. Antigua had been trying to get rid of this lavish noose around its neck for months. The Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister reported to the nation about two weeks ago that the government was in talks with a prospective buyer, per Antigua Observer. After such a prolonged period of inactivity, it was surely a quick sale as, according to Northrop & Johnson, the yacht was on the market just ten days before closing.
In the past, Alfa Nero was almost delivered to ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who won the 267-footer for $67.6 million at an auction held on June 16, 2023. However, legal tangles and an endless wait made the tech tycoon back out of the deal, leaving Alfa Nero and the Caribbean nation suffering under a $100,000 monthly maintenance bill. It also took away hopes of another sale happening anytime soon and followed with expensive issues like vessel maintenance, fuel costs, legal fees, and unpaid crew wages.
Now, almost a year later, the tiny island nation will witness this beautiful burden sail away and recover the huge sum of money spent on the ship, which equals almost 40% of the Caribbean nation’s defence budget.
The taxpayers will also heave a sigh of relief, having been instrumental in maintaining the cursed yet charming Oceanco vessel for the last two years. The boat, allegedly owned by Russian oligarch Andrew Guryev, has been in Falmouth Harbor, Antigua, since March 2022.
Superyacht Alfa Nero, longer than an Olympic-sized swimming pool, is still pristine and features a helipad, a massive beach club, a movie hall, and a cards room. To maintain the fantastic interiors, Alfa Nero burns diesel constantly to power everything on board. The expensive asset requires air conditioning to run 24/7 to shield the precious wood, mother of pearl, and soft leather, beautifying the high-design interiors.
Up until November 2023, the government had spent $2.7 million on maintaining the mammoth. Another 9 months of maintenance raised this amount to $3.6 million. Owning a ship sounds like serious business, one that Antigua is finally getting rid of, laughing all the way to the bank! Though $40 million is a significantly less than the previous sale of nearly $70 million, it is still enough of a windfall for the nation to recover its costs.
