Multi-billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, Russia’s richest man worth $24.4 billion per Forbes, is in trouble almost as big as his megayacht, 470 feet long Sailing Yacht A. He has become the target of a lawsuit from the Russian government concerning a deal to buy an energy company. What will entail now is the possible seizure of his company Sibeco, and his prized possessions. That also depends on whether the government can get its hands on them. Melnichenko is no ordinary billionaire but one of Russia’s leading businessmen, the founder of EuroChem, and Suek, worth $24.4 billion.
He owns two stunning superyachts, rumoured to be named after his wife ‘Alexandra,’ Motoryacht A and the world’s largest sailing yacht, also named A. The former luxury vessel managed to escape the grasp of authorities after the sanctioned tycoon turned off its AIS and whisked the $300 million A to UAE. The 390-footer has been moored there for over a year. While the Isle of Man government had deregistered Melnichenko’s Motor Yacht A, a follower of the YouTube channel eSysman SuperYachts shared a picture of the ship bearing a flag.
After remaining stateless for over 17 months, Motoryacht A was spotted from a distance sporting what perhaps seemed like a flag of Sierra Leone. Let’s throw some light on the details of the boat that has been in the dark for way too long-
The many marvels of Motoryacht A-
In 2008, Blohm + Voss shaped life into designer Philippe Starck’s unmatched vision, and a $300 million pleasure craft was born. Its instantly recognizable, blade-like design resulted from Starck’s genius that went from his mind to paper in only two hours.
The vessel packs unique features that give its upside-down hull design some company. Inside, the boat is sheathed in stingray hide leather, alligator skin, or floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Still, the craft is sophisticated and elegantly decorated. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to call A the epitome of minimalism.
She sleeps 14 guests in 7 classy cabins serviced by a crew 37. The ship’s owner sleeps in an all-white, 2,583-square-foot main suite wrapped in bomb-proof, 44-millimeter glass. As one would imagine, the room is outfitted with a king-size bed on a rotating platter to enjoy different angles and amenities of the room, at the touch of a button, of course. Elsewhere, A is impressive owing to not one but three pools. One is a glass-bottomed pool that can be viewed from the below-deck disco. The superyacht’s designer is particularly fond of the tender garage.
The space houses two 36 feet tenders, the Open and the Limo models, both of which have also been designed by Philippe Starck himself. MAN RK280 diesel engines give A Yacht a maximum speed of 23 knots. She also boasts a helipad, and lucky for the billionaire is still his to sail around in. The same cannot be said for his Sailing Yacht A.
The $600 million megayacht was impounded by the Italian police and placed in a special dry dock at the northern port of Trieste in March 2022.
A spectacular schooner, the $600 million Sailing Yacht A –
The world’s largest sailing yacht, A, beats Jeff Bezos’s Koru in price and size. The $600 million floating mammoth is 50 feet longer at 468 feet. Dirk Kloosterman built the Philippe Starck-designed schooner, and much like her older sister Motoryacht A, it is instantly recognizable owing to its unique exterior and 300-foot masts. The robust eight-decker boasts a gross tonnage of 12,558 GT. A perfect yacht for entertaining, SY A sleeps 40 guests in 20 cabins serviced by a professional crew 54.
It is captivating inside, with several lounge areas, elevators, and free-floating spiral staircases. There are several garages for tenders, even a submarine, and a touch-and-go helipad on the bow. The ship features an underwater observation pod made of three elliptical-shaped glasses molded into the keel to offer a view of the propellers.
