Russian billionaire Alexei Mordashov’s $500 million megayacht Nord stirred waters first for her journey from Vladivostok to Hong Kong and then for her cold welcome on mentioning Cape Town as the next destination. After exiting Victoria Harbor, Mordashov’s tuxedo-donning warship was headed on a 19-day journey to Cape Town, as depicted on Marine Traffic. Akin to US authority’s threats, even the Mayor and Premier of Cape Town dismissed the arrival of the 464-footer, which would’ve otherwise docked at the port today, 9th November. Nord left Asia’s World City, eventually turning dark after crossing the Malacca Strait on the Indian Ocean.
It is starting to look like motoryacht Nord is not going to South Africa or probably never intended to. eSysman SuperYacht stated that the luxury vessel is most likely in the Maldives in a location called Adu Atoll. There are no images to confirm the information, and her AIS being turned off don’t help matters either. Per Business Insider South Africa, the Transnet Port Authority had not yet received any written berthing request from Nord, nor did the Waterfront Marina receive any application for the vessel to take up a berth there.
If the Nord has moored in the Maldives, it will be its second visit in less than a year, as the superyacht was hanging out in the Maldives in December 2021 before the Russia-Ukraine war commenced. Nothing was ever the same for five-decker Nord again.
