The matters of the heart are often elusive. What one man once coveted so deeply that even its shadow was unbearable, he abandoned just as swiftly. That man is Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler, the former owner of the 439-foot mammoth superyacht Serene. The $400 million motoryacht, now a floating palace of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was commissioned nearly 20 years ago by Italy-based Fincantieri.
Delivered in August 2011 as the ninth largest yacht in the world, it was owned by a Russian oligarch, unaware of the impending battle he would ignite.
Three years after the delivery of the seven-decker, Fincantieri launched steel tycoon Viktor Rashnikov’s 459-foot superyacht Ocean Victory. To everyone’s surprise, Shefler sued Fincantieri for a staggering $23 million, accusing them of copying the design, spirit, and aesthetic of his beloved yacht, per Yachtharbour.
The design of the luxury vessel now owned by Shefler’s company Serena Equity Limited was, according to him, his intellectual property. With the support of the London courts, the deep-pocketed billionaire took Fincantieri to task. The glorious Ocean Victory was almost a twin to his Serene. Though no one could afford a glimpse inside either of these pleasure crafts, it’s known they share the same exterior designer, Espen Oeino International, and are equally matched in their technical prowess.
The English courts may have granted Shefler $14 million for the violation of his intellectual property and $7 million for late deliveries, but Fincantieri lodged an opposition with the Trieste Court of Appeal to contest the recognition of foreign arbitration awards in Italy. They also filed a motion with the industrial property division of the Court of Venice, asserting that Shefler holds no intellectual property rights related to the design of Serene.
In a twist of fate, Saudi Crown Prince MBS kicked the affluent billionaire off the lavish yacht immediately after purchasing it from him in 2016. The prince, captivated by Serene’s opulence while holidaying in the South of France, had no regard for the owner who once held the yacht in such high esteem. In the end, it seems the one with the deepest pockets truly calls the shots!
Serene, the most superlative superyacht!
With seven decks and 4,500 square meters of interior space designed by Pascale Reymond of Reymond Langton Design, the $400 million megayacht is indeed a floating palace. Fit for royalty, the luxurious vessel features a giant internal seawater pool and two helipads that can be converted into a dance floor.
The mammoth yacht accommodates 24 guests in 12 elegant cabins and includes a playful snow room (requested by Shefler), children’s playrooms for the young members of the royal family, a climbing wall between the decks’ slides, and an exciting underwater viewing room.
It’s a gigantic ship with plenty of entertainment for its esteemed guests, including a picturesque outdoor cinema, a refined piano room, and a bar.
The Serene also boasts wellness and beauty centers outfitted with spas, hammams, and a private beach club with a sheltered sunbathing area. Soon after acquiring this yacht, MBS also purchased the world’s most expensive painting, Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, for $450 million in 2017. The superyacht Serene now houses this masterpiece until the Saudi royal prepares a special museum for the painting.
Who is Yuri Shefler?
Worth $1.5 billion, 56-year-old Yuri Shefler is the man who established the SPI Group, responsible for the production and sale of 380 branded spirits in 170 countries. Three years ago, he split his business into the Stoli Group and Amber Beverage Group, but he is best known for Stolichnaya vodka (now known as Stoli vodka). A resident of Geneva, Switzerland, Shefler was born into a Jewish family in Oryol, Russia, and graduated from the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics. He started off dealing in vouchers and petty trade as a student, followed by stints at Vnukovo Airlines, Nafta-Moscow, GUM, and TSUM. Life turned around for the businessman with the founding of the SPI Group.
