Is the Nord yacht emulating the elegant Amadea? Not literally, but figuratively. While Amadea is going back and forth only in court proceedings, Russia’s richest man Alexei Mordashov is moving his mammoth $500 million megayacht, Nord, back and forth from the Russian port Vladivostok. First, the sanctioned oligarch splurged a whopping $465,000 in fuel and raced it at full speed from Seychelles to Vladivostok, near Japan. It was then observed that the 464-footer was positioned in East Asia, sailing on the Japan Sea to the port of Busan in South Korea. Nord has changed course again and is back to Vladivostok, as seen on Marine Traffic.
The ship tracking site shows its current position as anchored in the Russian port city. The motives behind these activities are still unknown. While bringing Nord back to Vladivostok makes complete sense for palpable reasons, it was a bit baffling to see the tuxedo-donning warship sail to South Korea in the first place. Not only was Nord the first superyacht to sail towards South Korea but also because The United States and South Korea are allies under the 1953 Mutual Defense Treaty.
The United States is one of South Korea’s major foreign partners, vital to its strategic security. It is also confusing why the Russian tycoon will risk sailing the luxury vessel beyond safety after all the risk he endured. Speaking of risks taken, Mordashov not only spent big bucks on refueling his up and running ship, but there was also plenty of peril in turning off its location transponders to avoid authorities.
Keeping Nord in the dark:
Keeping a mammoth $500 million superyacht in the dark is no small feat, and Mordashov is certainly managing it well. The luxury vessel, formerly known as Project Opus, comprises six decks and accommodates 36 guests in 20 luxurious cabins. Its praise-worthy features include a large swimming pool, Jacuzzi on the sun terrace, spa, diving center, cinema, beach and barbecue area, and tender garage.
The luxurious motoryacht built by German shipyard Lurssen boasts a top speed of 22 knots recorded 6,701 nautical miles from Seychelles to Vladivostok. It then went from Vladivostok to Busan and back. The Russian billionaire businessman is the main shareholder and chairman of Severstal, Russia’s largest steel and mining company. With a net worth of $21 billion, he is among Russia’s wealthiest men, second only to Putin himself. Money is clearly no object for the steel billionaire interested in keeping Nord safe and in the dark at astronomical costs.
