Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich is reportedly preparing to spend a staggering $60 million on the upkeep of his 459-foot superyacht Solaris, a vessel that may be only five years old but remains one of the most technically complex private yachts ever built. The superyacht has spent the past six months inside a specialized shipyard facility in Turkey’s İzmit Bay, according to Nokta Gazetesi, where it has been undergoing extensive maintenance, technical inspections, and renewal work.
The maintenance program comes alongside an even larger investment in Abramovich’s fleet. While Solaris is receiving comprehensive servicing, his 533-foot flagship Eclipse is reportedly undergoing a deeper midlife refit with a price tag of around $100 million. Together, the two projects underscore the extraordinary costs involved in operating and preserving some of the world’s largest privately owned vessels.
A floating luxury resort with ship-scale engineering
Although Solaris was delivered in 2021, maintaining a yacht of its size is a vastly different proposition from servicing a conventional pleasure craft. The $610 million vessel stretches 139.7 meters in length (458 feet) and measures 11,247 gross tons, placing it among the largest superyachts afloat. Designed to accommodate 36 guests and a crew of 60, Solaris functions less like a yacht and more like a private ship packed with luxury amenities and industrial-grade engineering.
The yacht has been in Turkish waters since 2022 and was brought to the Kocaeli Free Zone for maintenance work around six months ago. Unlike Eclipse, which is widely described as receiving a substantial refit, Solaris is undergoing what has been characterized as comprehensive maintenance. The distinction is important because the reported spending is not tied to a redesign or glamorous makeover. Instead, it reflects the immense technical demands of keeping a vessel of this scale operating at peak condition.
Part of the reason the bill is so high lies beneath the waterline. Solaris is powered by eight MTU diesel engines and features one of the most advanced propulsion systems ever installed on a private yacht. The vessel uses twin ABB Azipod units delivering a combined nine megawatts of power, equivalent to roughly 12,000 horsepower. Industry observers have described it as the most powerful Azipod installation ever fitted to a private yacht.
Unlike conventional propulsion systems that rely on fixed shafts and rudders, Azipods place electric motors inside rotating pods beneath the hull. The technology offers remarkable maneuverability and efficiency, but it also introduces significant complexity. Inspections, diagnostics, servicing, and maintenance of such systems require specialist expertise and highly skilled technicians.
Why a five-year-old yacht can generate a $60 million bill
The reported maintenance budget becomes easier to understand when Solaris is viewed as a floating luxury property rather than a recreational vessel. Routine yard periods for yachts of this size often involve extensive hull inspections, antifouling treatments, underwater equipment checks, and evaluations of critical mechanical systems.
Beyond propulsion, Solaris carries the infrastructure of a high-end resort spread across eight decks. Climate-control systems, elevators, navigation equipment, generators, lighting networks, safety systems, tender operations, and countless electronic controls all require continuous monitoring and periodic servicing. Large glass installations, guest areas, beach club facilities, and hospitality spaces add further layers of complexity.
Every component must operate flawlessly whether the yacht is crossing oceans or hosting guests. The result is a maintenance burden that can rival that of a commercial vessel. For most yacht owners, a $60 million maintenance program would be unimaginable. To put that in perspective, Jeff Bezos’s 246-foot support vessel Abeona reportedly cost about $75 million to build, carries up to 37 crew, and features a commercially certified helipad.
In other words, maintaining Solaris can cost nearly as much as buying an entire support yacht. Acquiring a $600 million superyacht is only the beginning. Keeping one of the most sophisticated private vessels ever built in world-class condition can demand tens of millions of dollars long after the delivery celebrations have ended.
