There was a time when Roman Abramovich and Chelsea F.C always featured in the same sentence. The same was replicated by the Russian tycoon and his superyachts since the Ukraine-Russia war and sanctions began. His most talked about yachts are $610 million Solaris and $590 million Eclipse. But Abramovich was linked to not just two but five ships, as per Mirror. The other two Abramovich-owned motor yachts in the news are Halo and support vessel Garcon. In late March, luxury vessel Halo and Garcon were arrested and moored at Falmouth Harbour in Antigua and Barbuda. By April, the detained ships were proved to belong to Abramovich by the British publication The Observer.
The publication ascertained that the British Virgin Islands-based company Wenham Overseas Ltd, was owned by Abramovich. However, even proving ownership wasn’t enough in this case. According to a video released by eSysman SuperYachts, Antigua has no sanction laws and can’t seize property unless the person commits a crime in Antigua (which isn’t the case). In a surprising turn of events, both vessels left Antigua on July 22. The valuable assets are crossing the Atlantic together but are headed for two different ports in Morocco. It is surprising to see the ships set sail in a relatively uncomplicated fashion, probably because the authorities in Antigua had no grounds to impound the vessels and cant keep them detained forever.
It looks like Abramovich is in fight mode and unwilling to give up on any asset. The sanctioned billionaire had even hired an NYC-based firm with $1,900 an hour lawyers to get his grounded private jets back. With nearly all his yachts managing to escape seizures, it looks like Abramovich may soon celebrate some wins. Though no competition for Eclipse or Solaris megayacht, Halo and Garcon boats are valuable in their own right and worth a dekko:
The Halo motoryacht:
Featuring at number 643 among the world’s largest yachts, one may not raise an eyebrow at the scale of the Halo motoryacht, but it is an impressive yacht nevertheless. Flaunting exterior design by Tim Heywood Design Ltd and posh interiors worthy of a billionaire by Studio Laura Sessa, Amels delivered this sprightly 180-footer to Abramovich in 2018.
Though this luxury boat cant be compared to Abramovich’s other sailing party venues with a crew of more than 80, Halo has a staff of 13 to offer a seamless sailing experience to 12 guests. Interiors are spacious owing to a neutral color palette enhanced with a pop of nautical shades. The ship comprises six cabins, the main saloon decorated with art, candles, coffee table books, and a large Tv screen for entertainment.
In addition to exhibiting a cruising speed of 13.0 kn and a top speed of 15.5 kn, the yacht carries 115,000 liters of fuel on board and 17,000 liters of water.
Abramovich’s strapping luxury support vessel Garcon:
With a steel hull and aluminum superstructure, 285-footer Garcon displays composite decks. This support vessel and explorer was delivered by Damen Yachting in 2012 and is powered by 4 x diesel Caterpillar engines lending her a cruising speed of 15 knots and a maximum speed of 20 knots.
As per Fraser, the well-equipped explorer can accommodate various helicopter models, including a Bell 365, an armada of water toys, a 4-person submarine, jet ski, and tenders. The luxurious explorer yacht can accommodate 10 guests in 5 cabins and 21 crew members for an unforgettable sailing experience.
