Sanctioned Russian billionaires Andrey Guryev, both father and son, tried every trick to save their 269-foot steel and aluminum superyacht, Alfa Nero. The saga of the ship that sailed to nowhere began last year in March when a round of sanctions by the U.S. officials left the owners sanctioned and the Oceanco superyacht moored in Falmouth Harbour. Now the Government of Antigua and Barbuda is gearing up to sell Alfa Nero which has been moored at the Antigua Yacht Club Marina since February 2022. A notice will soon be placed in the media by the Antigua and Barbuda Government to announce the sale of a mega yacht that belongs to the fertilizer tycoon.
The Information Minister, Melford Nicholas, said the Alfa Nero was “abandoned” in Antigua and Barbuda by its owner. He further stated the Government’smove is only trying to deter further damage to the luxurious $120 million vessel. Steadroy Benjamin, Minister of justice and attorney general of Antigua and Barbuda, declared the vessel “a hazard to shipping and to the harbor where it is moored.”
A statement from the office of the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda said: “A notice to the newspapers and other media will be published for a period of ten days, notifying the sale of the Alfa Nero vessel in order to satisfy the requirements under the law for a forced sale. If the owner fails to claim the vessel within that time period, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda will sell it to the highest bidder.”
The nearly $75 million yacht of Dmitry Pumpyansky’s called Axioma, a six-decker with an infinity pool, and a cinema sold for a dignified $37.5 million. By that, Alfa Nero would be lucky to land between $60 and $80 million. If history (read: Axioma’s case) has taught us anything, it is that no matter how gorgeous a pleasure craft is, when a sanctioned owner’s possession is auctioned, it would be considered lucky to amass even half its actual value.
Alfa Nero, a masterpiece by Oceanco-
Dutch shipbuilder Oceanco, Nuvolari & Lenard, and Alberto Pinto worked their charm to give the Andrey Guryevs an asset too precious to lose. Unfortunately, they did lose the floating palace to sanctions. The 269 feet vessel is striking without trying too hard. It maintains a predictable nautical theme as that makes the most sense for a boat, but not without sporadic elements of pop art (it is a billionaire’s boat, after all).
The owner’s suite is truly a magnate’s pad occupying the entire upper deck boasting a sprawling office, dressing room, bathroom with Jacuzzi and steam shower, and the primary bedroom. On the other three decks, six well-designed cabins sleep 12 guests. Another highlight of Alfa Nero is the 40-foot convertible infinity pool.
With the help of a hydraulic system, the swimming pool doubles up as a dance floor or a helipad. A first-of-its-kind statement rear pool ever seen on a luxury yacht.
Moreover, the luxury boat includes three separate dining areas, a dance room, a gym, a beauty salon, a spa, a glass elevator, and a beach club.
In spite of going dark the FBI traced and impounded the $120 million Alfa Nero-
The magnificent Alfa Nero escaped the clutches of the law by turning off the AIS transponders and went dark for months at a stretch, violating international maritime guidelines. Like other Russian oligarchs, the Guryev duo kept Alfa Nero out of range, motionless, and moored in the Caribbean Sea since February 2022.
By August of the same year, the Antigua and Barbuda government and American FBI agents traced and investigated the yacht. According to a statement, the DOJ formally requested the government’s assistance to search Alfa Nero and question the crew on August 12. Following this step, the government of Antigua and Barbuda asked locals to refrain from engaging in business of any kind with Alfa Nero. The Oceanco vessel may finally be able to set sail this year with a new owner when auctioned.
Meet Fertilizer king Andrey Guryev –
62-year-old Guryev was the former head of PhosAgro, who immediately stepped down from that position after being sanctioned. He enjoys a net worth of $10.2 billion and the reputation as one of Russia’s most prominent families. No strangers to the lavish life, the Guryevs own Witanhurst in Highgate, London’s second-largest house after Buckingham Palace. Business acumen apart, Guryev is a Judo master who graduated with a degree in physical education and sport from the Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth, and Tourism. 40-year-old Guryev Jr. took over PhosAgro, Europe’s biggest manufacturer of phosphate fertilizers after his father resigned. The EU sanctioned him on March 9, 2022. In May 2015, Forbes estimated his father’s net worth at $3.8 billion.
