The 465-foot (142-meter) superyacht Nord has been spotted docked in Benoa, Indonesia, marking the latest chapter in an extraordinary journey that began in Dubai and appears to be taking the enormous vessel all the way home to Vladivostok. After covering roughly 4,400 nautical miles from Dubai to Bali, the six-deck explorer yacht still has another 3,700 nautical miles ahead of it before reaching the Russian port city where it has traditionally been based.
Nord’s appearance in Benoa is particularly intriguing because the yacht had effectively vanished from public view after crossing the Strait of Hormuz. At a time when heightened tensions had left numerous commercial vessels stuck in the region or reluctant to enter the strategically vital waterway, the gigantic superyacht casually sailed through the strait and continued east. Sometime afterward, Nord reportedly switched off its AIS transponders and went dark, only to reappear thousands of miles away at Benoa Harbor. An Instagram video shows the vessel docked in Bali, which can also be confirmed by its current tracking data.
The superyacht that casually crossed the Strait of Hormuz
At 142 meters long and 10,154 gross tons, Nord is not the sort of yacht that easily blends into its surroundings, even when surrounded by commercial shipping. The vessel is so enormous that it could not berth at Bali’s Benoa Marina and instead had to dock at the commercial harbor, where it was seen alongside the massive container and cruise ships that normally dominate the waterfront. While in Benoa, the yacht also reportedly took on fuel for its 345,000-liter tanks before potentially continuing its long journey north.
Built by German shipyard Lürssen and delivered in 2021, Nord is one of the largest and most capable private yachts in the world. Its six decks accommodate up to 36 guests in 20 cabins, while an extensive list of amenities includes two helipads, a swimming pool, a spa, a gym, a cinema, and a vast collection of tenders and water toys. The yacht also carries its own submarine and can reportedly accommodate a crew of more than 40.
A floating palace that costs millions every year to operate
Nord is widely linked to Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov, the steel magnate and largest shareholder of Severstal. The yacht has an estimated value of around $500 million, while simply keeping a vessel of this magnitude operational can cost tens of millions of dollars annually. Using the commonly cited rule of thumb that a superyacht may cost roughly 10% of its value each year to run, Nord’s annual expenses could theoretically approach $50 million, although actual costs vary considerably depending on usage, crew, maintenance, fuel, and refits.
The voyage itself demonstrates why Nord is more accurately described as an explorer yacht than merely a floating palace. From Dubai, it passed through the Strait of Hormuz and continued across the Indian Ocean before surfacing in Indonesia, approximately 4,400 nautical miles away. If Vladivostok is indeed its final destination, another 3,700 nautical miles remain.
For now, Nord’s arrival in Benoa offers a rare glimpse of one of the world’s most imposing private vessels midway through a truly enormous ocean crossing. Too large for the local marina and seemingly unfazed by one of the world’s most sensitive maritime chokepoints, the gigantic superyacht has once again demonstrated that its extraordinary scale is matched by equally extraordinary capabilities.
