Is it a mountain or is it a ship? Judging by its seemingly endless inertia, the luxury yacht Motor Yacht A could easily be dubbed a mountain. But the ship within her has triumphed, without a doubt! After more than two years docked in Dubai for maintenance, the luxury vessel that once stood still has finally moved, and under a new flag state.
In 2022, the yacht owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, named after his beloved wife, Aleksandra, lost its flag state after the owner was sanctioned. The $300 million Motor Yacht A may have evaded authorities and sailed to the UAE, but it couldn’t escape being deregistered by the Isle of Man government.
By 2023, Motor Yacht A was spotted flying what appeared to be the flag of Sierra Leone. It seems that “a new year, a new flag” has become the mantra for this unusually designed, blade-shaped Blohm + Voss ship by Philippe Starck. It’s now sailing under the flag of Malaysia, somewhere in the Gulf of Oman. Marine Traffic reports a typical maneuver required for flag changes, taking the ship into international waters, as noted by the popular YouTube channel Esysman SuperYachts.
The new year has shifted the fate of this iconic vessel. No longer docked in Dubai after two years, Motor Yacht A now also boasts a newly registered owner, as the channel pointed out. It will be fascinating to see what new adventures await this ship. But until we learn more about its future whereabouts, let’s delve into the stunning beauty of this superyacht, distinct as they come.
Inside the unconventional world of Motor Yacht A-
She may have been named after Alexandra, the wife of the founder of fertilizer producer Eurochem and coal energy company SUEK, worth $16.9 billion, but that’s where the ladylike traits ended. The 394-foot A was unlike any other ship, only outdone by her successor, Sailing Yacht A, the world’s second-largest ship after Koru, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos. But A still managed to leave a lasting impression, not because of its size, but because of its submarine-like, unconventional design. While its exterior turned heads, what lay beneath was even more conversation-worthy.
The yacht slept guests in seven staterooms, which came with movable walls to create four larger suites. If the robust stainless-steel whirlpool baths in the center of these rooms weren’t striking enough, then the $40,000 bath knobs, Baccarat-crystal tables, polished white finishes, and gleaming silver would certainly have jaws dropping. This floating masterpiece also featured floor-to-ceiling mirrors in the rooms, but those paled in comparison to the luxurious materials like white stingray hides and calf’s leather lining the walls, or the two Michel Haillard chairs crafted from alligator hides and Kudu horns.
With 23,600 square feet of living space, the yacht dedicated a lavish 2,583-square-foot main suite to the owner. Wrapped in bomb-proof, 44-millimeter glass, the suite was a pure vision in white. Whether considered a vulgar display of wealth or a bold statement of originality, the king-size bed sat on a rotating platter, offering the owner different angles and amenities at the touch of a button.
Among the yacht’s impressive amenities were two swimming pools, a helipad, a hovercraft, and a garage for the owner’s car. Over 100 audio speakers and more than a dozen plasma TV screens disguised as mirrors added to the opulence.
With charter possibilities opening now that the ship was headed in a new, but still unknown, direction, there might just be an opportunity for those who can afford it to experience these extraordinary elements in person.
