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Daily Nautica

Abramovich si è regalato un nuovo mega yacht di 140 metri. Il costo? Mezzo miliardo

Il magnate russo roman abramovich è l’armatore di un nuovo megayacht lungo 140 metri. si chiama solaris e stanno iniziando a girare le prime immagini.

IL NUOVO YACHT DI ABRAMOVICH

Lo yacht di abramovich sarà il più costoso del 2021.

Argomenti: Daily Nautica , superyacht

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Take a closer look at Russian oligarch's $700 million superyacht that is one of the largest in the world

• Roman Abramovich had seemingly scrambled to avoid sanctions from the UK by moving his superyachts.
• One of those is The Eclipse, which cost $700 million to build and was once the biggest in the world.
• That yacht was once in New York City and we took some photos.

Like other Russian oligarchs, Roman Abramovich had seemingly scrambled to avoid sanctions and that included quickly moving his superyachts to more friendly waters.

Many of the 55-year-old billionaire's assets — such as the Chelsea Football Club and several homes — have been sold or frozen since Russia launched an unprovoked war on Ukraine, Bloomberg reported . 

While Abramovich couldn't move the Premier League football club Chelsea FC and sold the $3 billion club , his yachts are another matter. 

Abramovich's 553-foot-long flagship is The Eclipse, estimated to have cost $700 million when built. After sanctions were initially dropped by the UK against Abramovich, his second "smaller" $600 million superyacht, Solaris, left Barcelona, Spain, and moved to friendlier waters in Turkey.

Solaris was joined in Turkey by The Eclipse, which arrived from the Caribbean .

While the superyacht Eclipse was photographed in Turkish waters in early August , it was once docked at Manhattan's Pier 90, and Robert Johnson was able to get some pictures. Take a tour of the superyacht below. 

Robert Johnson contributed to this post.

Just south of this public parking lot on the roof of the Pier 90 terminal in New York City sat Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich's flagship yacht, the "Eclipse."

536-feet long and styled after military vessels.

The 2010 Eclipse cost $700 million and was the world's largest yacht when built.

The vessel has amenities to rival any ship on the sea — like its own mini submersible, perhaps similar to this— able to dive down 150-feet.

The Eclipse has two helipads.

Bulletproof glass and armor plates wrap the length of Roman's master suite and the bridge.

And a German-built missile defense system.

The ship's also supposed to have a laser defense against paparazzi trying to photograph the yacht's guests, but saw no evidence of the device when we were there.

The Eclipse has three launch boats.

That looked to be stocked with medical supplies and a variety of handheld radios.

From the cruise ship parking lot it felt like we were almost on the Eclipse itself.

But with little chance we'd be invited aboard through the ship's door here ...

... We hoped to find one of the 70 crew members required to sail the Eclipse and see if they'd tell us what ship life was like.

But we found no one interested in talking.

But we certainly didn't feel like paparazzi, or that we'd be lasered, when we were in the parking lot tourists use when they arrive to board their cruise.

From up here, the ship was simply stunning and the amount of work required to keep her that way apparent.

The Yacht Report says owning a superyacht costs about 20% of the ship's initial value every year.

But experts believe that Roman probably pays $75 million a year to run the private cruise ship with 24-guest suites.

Looking at the layout of the ship gets us talking about the two swimming pools inside, the disco, cinema, hair salon, and restaurant.

The billionaire's guests would use this door to enter any fore part of the deck.

Perhaps noting where the life rings were as they made their way about the ship.

At 13,000 gross tons, the Eclipse was, at the time, the largest vessel to use a special stabilization system to keep it calm in rough waters while anchored or moving slowly through the sea.

Roman faced a $150,000 tab for parking the Eclipse in New York City while possibly visiting his daughter and her new baby — about $2,000 a day.

A large yacht like the Eclipse can hold over 100,000 gallons of fuel.

Depending on the current price of fuel, a five-hour cruise each way could cost about $30,000.

None of those numbers are likely to concern Roman Abramovich, however, who has an estimated net worth of nearly $8 billion.

Source: Forbes

Here is some drone footage of the superyacht.

You can see interior photos of the luxury yacht at Boat International

Step on board the 162.5m Eclipse - the second largest superyacht in the world

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Roman Abramovich’s $1bn five-yacht fleet revealed

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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich owns or is linked to a collection of five yachts estimated to be worth almost $1bn, including several vessels whose ownership remained secret until this week.

A Financial Times investigation into the billionaire’s assets has lifted the veil of secrecy he maintains over his wealth, even after the UK and EU imposed sanctions on him following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for his allegedly close relationship with President Vladimir Putin.

Authorities in the UK and EU are attempting to identify all of the assets owned by sanctioned oligarchs. Abramovich was already widely reported to be the owner of Solaris and Eclipse — worth $474mn and $437mn, respectively, according to yacht data service VesselsValue. But the FT revealed this week that he also owns Halo and Garçon, which are both moored in Antigua.

The Antiguan government was unaware of the ownership of the boats docked on the island before inquiries from the FT, highlighting the scale of the challenge UK and EU authorities face in enforcing sanctions.

Tom Keatinge, director of the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute think-tank said governments, banks and other institutions trying to enforce sanctions had to navigate a world where “ownership trails run cold and morph into a haze of front companies, nominees and cut-outs”.

Halo and Garçon are valued at $38mn and $20mn, respectively, and are now at risk of being seized.

In a letter to the British high commissioner to Barbados regarding the yachts, Antiguan minister of foreign affairs Paul Chet Greene said the island would “provide full assistance to the government of the United Kingdom” if it receives a request under the two nations’ Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.

The letter noted that Antigua had requested information on the company that owns the two boats — British Virgin Islands-registered Wenham Overseas Limited — after “persistent allegations by the Financial Times that the vessels could be owned by Mr Roman Abramovich”.

In response, the British high commission provided Antiguan authorities with a letter, seen by the FT, “from the Financial Investigation Agency of the British Virgin Islands which states the beneficial owner of Wenham Overseas Ltd is Roman Abramovich”.

The letter also shows the billionaire’s address in Switzerland is listed simply as “Immeuble, Gatzby Le Magnifique”, which translates as “The Great Gatsby Building”.

Keatinge described the UK’s ability to demand full ownership information of companies registered in any of its overseas territories or crown dependencies as its “most powerful global weapon” in combating financial secrecy.

However, he asked: “How much is that weapon being used?”

A person with knowledge of Abramovich’s boat collection and documents seen by the FT indicate that the oligarch may also still be the owner of Sussurro, the first yacht he bought in 1998, despite reports he had given it to an ex-wife in a divorce.

The person who correctly identified the two yachts in Antigua as belonging to Abramovich told the FT the oligarch still owned Sussurro.

The vessel’s owner is listed in maritime registers as Vesuvius International Limited in the British Virgin Islands. BVI documents show this company was deregistered there in 2017. Another Vesuvius International was registered in Jersey the same year.

The owner of Jersey-based Vesuvius International is listed as Wotton Overseas Holdings Limited. This entity — which shifted from the BVI to Jersey in 2017 — is also the owner through a subsidiary of a helicopter that has been photographed landing on Abramovich’s Solaris several times.

Maritime tracking services show Sussurro, which means “whisper” in Italian and is valued at $11mn, is moored in La Ciotat in the south of France — the same port where the French government last month seized a $116mn superyacht belonging to a company tied to Igor Sechin, head of Russian oil group Rosneft.

Sussurro’s management company is Blue Ocean Management, a Cyprus-based company that also manages Le Grand Bleu, a 113-metre superyacht that Abramovich reportedly gave to his business associate Eugene Shvidler.

The UK placed Shvidler under sanctions last week.

The letter from the BVI’s financial investigation agency to its British counterparts also reveals that the owner of Le Grand Blue — Ashchurch Holdings Limited — is owned by “Zarui Shvidler”. Shvidler’s wife is commonly known as Zara Shvidler.

VesselsValue pegged Le Grand Bleu’s market value in a range of $110mn-$130mn, noting that the boat had last been tracked this week in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Puerto Rico.

Representatives for Abramovich and Shvidler did not respond to requests for comment.

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Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich’s Two Superyachts Are Sailing Towards Each Other in the Mediterranean

Ship tracking platforms show that the billionaire’s yachts "eclipse" and "solaris" are relocating to the mediterranean, with no port destination specified., emma reynolds, emma reynolds's most recent stories.

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Russian oligarch and billionaire Roman Abramovich is on the move—and so are his superyachts.

After being slapped with sanctions in response to Russia ’s invasion of Ukraine, the billionaire was last seen on March 14 at an airport in Israel, where he has dual citizenship, according to Reuters .

Abramovich, who is currently worth an estimated $7.1 billion, according to Forbes , appears to be moving his yachts to safer waters. His 533-foot superyacht Eclipse , normally anchored year-round in the Caribbean, has been sailing east towards the Mediterranean since February 21, according to global ship tracking platform MarineTraffic. As of Wednesday, the ship is located off the coast of Algeria and is still sailing east with no port destination specified. The yacht, estimated to be worth over $600 million, is one of the largest and most expensive in the world , and seems to be cruising towards Abramovich’s other yacht, Solaris , in the Ionian Sea.

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Roman Abramovich’s “Solaris” superyacht.  Courtesy of Lloyd Werft

The 461-foot Solaris  is currently located in the Ionian Sea off the western coast of Greece and heading south. Solaris was most recently at a port in Barcelona, where it had reportedly been receiving repairs since late 2021 . The ship left without declaring a destination. However, it’s possible both Solaris and Eclipse are heading towards each other and are even eyeing ports in Israel where Abramovich is considered safe from sanctions.

Though a long-time ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Abramovich has denied having close ties to the Kremlin. This hasn’t stopped dozens of nations, including the US, UK and several EU countries, from implementing sanctions and asset freezes on the oligarch. The sanctions are part of a concerted multinational effort to pressure Russia’s wealthiest and most powerful individuals to help bring Russia’s war on Ukraine to an end.

Perhaps sensing the economic pressures to come, Abramovich made headlines just days after the Ukraine invasion for stating his intention to sell his beloved Chelsea Football Club in London for $2.5 billion. The billionaire said all proceeds would benefit Ukrainian refugees and “victims of the war,” which, notably, may also include Russian soldiers.

Russian oligarch and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich appears to be seeking cover from international sanctions in Israel, where he has dual citizenship.  Associated Press

Russians own up to 10 percent of the world’s megayachts, so Abramovich is just one of many Russian billionaires who are moving their assets to avoid seizure by international authorities. This week, Italian police seized Russian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko’s 486-foot Sailing Yacht A, and earlier this month, France impounded the yacht Amore Vero , owned by Russian oil billionaire Igor Sechin. Other Russian billionaires have had their yachts impounded in other EU countries.

This isn’t the first time Russian oligarchs’ whereabouts have been made public. Florida teen Jack Sweeney, who once tracked Elon Musk’s jet, created a Twitter account —@RUOligarchJets—dedicated to tracking the private jets of Russian oligarchs, which is updated daily.

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ECLIPSE Yacht – Epic $600M Superyacht

The ECLIPSE yacht was once the largest yacht in the world at an impressive length of 162.5 metres (533 ft) but currently ranks in second place after AZZAM.

Though she is known as the billion-dollar yacht, it is estimated that her true value lies between US $500 – $700 million.

The vessel can host 36 guests and is even rumored to feature a state-of-the-art anti-paparazzi system to protect the privacy of those on board.

ECLIPSE yacht interior

The interior (and the exterior) was designed by Terence Disdale , who has become one of the top names in the industry despite having no formal design education.

ECLIPSE was his largest project to date, and he also worked on prominent vessels such as A+ and AL SALAMAH. The interior of ECLIPSE is classically designed in a style that is to be expected from one of the largest yachts in the world.

The upholstery and furniture follow a beige and crème color palette with wooden accents.

The yacht’s 18 cabins can welcome 36 guests as well as 70 crew members, which is an unusually large number even for a vessel of this size.

A large dance floor, several fireplaces, two swimming pools, and two helipads are also included onboard.

The ECLIPSE yacht interior is so large that there is even a cinema dedicated exclusively to crew members. In 2015 the interior of ECLIPSE was refitted by Blohm and Voss in Hamburg.

Specifications

The ECLIPSE yacht is the second-largest yacht in the world with a length of 162.5 meters (533 ft), a beam of 22 meters (72.2 ft), and a draft of 5.9 meters (19.4 ft).

She was built by the German shipyard Blohm & Voss and delivered to her owner in 2010.

Four MTU engines power ECLIPSE and allow her to reach top speeds of 25 knots, although her average cruising speed lies at 22 knots.

Her total volume lies at 13564 tons making her not only one of the longest but also the heaviest yachts in the world.

Like the interior of ECLIPSE, the interior was designed by Terence Disdale. According to rumors, Abramovich fitted her with an anti-paparazzi system that detects electronic light sensors from digital cameras.

However, there is no proof of this, although many newspapers report its existence.

On deck are several swimming pools and jacuzzis, and the aft of the vessel features a sizeable beach club. The yacht has a sleek design that attests to Terence Disdale’s classical style.

ECLIPSE came to fame as being the most expensive yacht ever built at the time for an approximate price of US $500 million.

She has seen further improvements since her purchase by Abramovich in 2010 and it is often widely reported that she is worth US $1.2 – $1.5 billion.

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Solaris Is the World’s Most Expensive Custom Yacht

The Solaris will be the latest addition to the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s fleet of yachts.

New photos of  Roman Abramovich ’s US$610 million megayacht have been released and the images are just stunning. Solaris is the billionaire’s brand new toy expected to be delivered to him by this year.

Compared to the Chelsea FC owner’s Eclipse built in 2010, the Solaris is smaller and less expensive but still packs a punch. The  megayacht  is reportedly the world’s most technologically advanced and most expensive custom yacht. That is not a surprise, considering how the vessel is tailor-made for one of the richest men in the world.

• READ MORE: Top 10 Largest Yachts Around The Globe

Solaris is 460 feet (140 metres) long, with 48 cabins across eight decks and can accommodate a crew of 60 and space for 36 guests. This uber-luxurious megayacht is also one of the world’s safest vessels and this is important for Abramovich and his circle of friends. To that end, Solaris comes with state-of-the-art security, including a radar-controlled missile detection system, bulletproof windows and armoured protection.

Abramovich and his guests can enjoy the various amenities available onboard with security measures in place. There is a gym, sauna, jacuzzi and possibly a beauty salon on the gigantic yacht. The Eclipse is known to have a nightclub but for Solaris, it will have an outdoor “beach club” at the aft section of the upper deck. Not to mention, the megayacht will also have its own flotilla of jet-skis and a helipad.

This giant spectacle was a product of German shipyard Lloyd Werft and has been undergoing sea trials from  Barcelona  to Cape D’Ail. It has since berthed in Antibe, on the French Riviera. Currently, it is reported that Abramovic is on vacation off  Croatia  on his Eclipse and the billionaire will most likely board the Solaris when he is back. While not all of us can have this exclusive experience, you can still enjoy it in your country.

For yacht rental prices in Singapore, click here.

For more yacht news, click here .

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Roman Abramovich’s newest megayacht is a $610 million fortress – Solaris can zap drones mid-air, it has secret pirate-proof passageways, a radar-based anti-missile system, bulletproof windows, & armored cabins.

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A $700 million superyacht owned by the sanctioned oligarch Roman Abramovich is sailing toward his other $600 million vessel in the Mediterranean

Two superyachts owned by the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich are sailing around the Mediterranean.

Abramovich's Eclipse is heading in the direction of his Solaris yacht, ship-tracking data shows.

There was no destination port for either superyacht listed on MarineTraffic's website.

A $700 million superyacht belonging to the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich seems to be heading toward his other $600 million vessel in the Mediterranean Sea, ship-tracking data shows.

MarineTraffic's map suggests that if the two superyachts keep on their current courses, they would eventually meet in the Ionian Sea, a part of the Mediterranean separating Greece and Italy.

Eclipse, Abramovich's 533-foot superyacht, was just off the coast of Algeria on Tuesday, sailing east across the Mediterranean Sea, MarineTraffic data indicated . The ship — worth $700 million, according to SuperYacht Fan — has been underway from St. Martin in the Caribbean since February 21, the data shows.

Related video: The one thing most self-made millionaires do when they wake up

Abramovich's 460-foot vessel, Solaris, which was off the eastern coast of Italy on Friday, was between the coasts of southeastern Italy and Albania on Tuesday, MarineTraffic data indicated . The website showed Solaris moving south.

Some Russian oligarchs and billionaires believed to have close ties to President Vladimir Putin — including Abramovich — are moving themselves, their yachts , and their private jets in the wake of sanctions announced by international governments. Their assets could be seized as part of measures aimed at the Russian elite in response to Moscow's decision to invade Ukraine.

Abramovich is one of seven Russian oligarchs sanctioned by the UK on Thursday. The sanctions include freezing their assets and barring them from doing business with the country.

Other jurisdictions, including the European Union, have announced similar sanctions. Spanish authorities said on Monday that they had seized a $153 million superyacht that was later linked to the Russian oligarch Sergei Chemezov, the CEO of the Russian state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec and a close ally of Putin.

There was no destination port for Eclipse or Solaris listed on MarineTraffic's website, so it's unclear where Abramovich's superyachts will dock next. Solaris — worth $600 million, according to SuperYacht Fan — had been docked in a Spanish shipyard since late 2021 for repairs until it departed last week.

Reuters first reported that Abramovich was spotted in a VIP lounge at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel on Monday — the same day that flight-tracking data indicated a private jet linked to him flew from Israel to Istanbul. It was unclear whether Abramovich was on the plane, Reuters reported.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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Roman Abramovich’s superyacht Eclipse spotted off of Greenock, Scotland

Roman Abramovich’s superyacht Eclipse has been spotted off Greenock, Scotland. It’s unclear whether Eclipse ’s owner is on his luxury yacht in Scotland, but the 162.5 metre yacht has been turning heads nonetheless.

The second largest yacht in the world, Roman Abramovich's Eclipse has been making quite a stir as Scotland is a more unusual superyacht charter destination , especially this time of year when many iconic yachts are seen in the Mediterranean .

Roman Abramovich’s superyacht Eclipse spent this spring at a shipyard in Barcelona. She left the Med, sailing via Bergen, Norway, and around the UK to the northern waters of Scotland. She might just be making a scenic stop and enjoying cruising Scotland’s craggy coast by luxury yacht  before heading back south.

Eclipse was named Motor Yacht of the Decade during the World Superyacht Awards 2015. Roman Abramovich’s superyacht Eclipse held the title of world’s largest private yacht for an impressive three-year stint from her launch in 2010 until 2013, when new largest yacht in the world 180 metre Azzam stole the crown.

When Eclipse left the Blohm+Voss yard in Germany, however, it was her ownership as much as her gargantuan proportions that drew headlines. Roman Abramovich stands at the vanguard of a wave of Russian owners who have made such a mark on the superyacht industry that they have redefined its boundaries. Their boldness and ability to spend vast sums have not only pushed size, but also design, to exciting new levels.

It's no wonder that Roman Abramovich's Eclipse  being seen in Scotland is making waves, as she's the only yacht of her kind and of such ownership in sight.

Eclipse is notable for plenty apart from her size. Yacht designer Terence Disdale ’s graceful lines flatter her bulk with rulebook-writing aplomb and she’s chock-full of custom features, including a 16 metre swimming pool that can be converted into a dance floor.

Her interior – also by Terence Disdale – boasts hundreds of bespoke finishes exclusively developed for the project. Some of the statistics she carries are undeniably impressive: a 56 metre-long owner’s deck; pads for two helicopters plus a hangar for a third under the foredeck; accommodation for 92 crew and staff; 18 suites for 36 guests.

Many details of her specifications and design are shrouded in mystery, but as the only media organisation to have featured Eclipse in full, Boat International can attest that this is one truly extraordinary yacht, as the locals are getting to see while superyacht Eclipse makes a cameo in Scotland.

Photo courtesy Invercyldenow

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Roman Abramovich’s superyacht leaves Turkish port run by UK-listed firm

Russian oligarch’s vessel departed after Global Ports Holding was pressed to act over UK sanctions

Roman Abramovich’s $600m (£458m) superyacht Solaris has left a port in Turkey after the London-based company that operates the terminal which had been harbouring the oligarch’s yacht was pressed to act.

Solaris, which is 140 metres long and has a helipad and swimming pool, left Bodrum Cruise Port on Monday. It is now at anchor off Yalikavak beach in south-western Turkey, according to the shipping data service Marine Traffic .

Pressure had been building for Global Ports Holding (GPH), the Mayfair-headquartered company that runs Bodrum Cruise Port, to refuse services to Solaris.

Legal experts had said the London-listed company was taking “a very big risk” by allowing a superyacht owned by a sanctioned individual to use one of its ports. The Bodrum port is one of 22 terminals run by the firm.

Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea Football Club, is one of several Russian billionaires hit by UK sanctions last month as part of the government’s efforts to put pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the invasion of Ukraine. Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, described the sanctioned individuals as having “the blood of the Ukrainian people on their hands”.

A spokesperson for Global Ports Holding declined to comment on why Solaris had left the port.

In a statement on Sunday, the company said it did not have “any power to accept or reject any ship or yacht” from the port but it had taken the decision to “not receive any service fee or other payments concerning the berthing of this superyacht”.

“Global Ports Holding plc notes recent press speculation regarding the berthing at Bodrum Yolcu Liman İşletmeleri AŞ (Bodrum Cruise Port), Turkey, of a superyacht, allegedly owned by a designated person subject to sanctions imposed by the UK government,” GPH said .

“As a private terminal operator in Turkey , GPH merely operates Bodrum Cruise Port as the concessionaire and is not involved in granting permission for a ship or a yacht to dock at the port. This responsibility and decision sit with the Turkish authorities, and as concessionaire, GPH must comply with such a decision as long as the decision is legal under the applicable laws.

“However, and notwithstanding the difficulties of any party to correctly identify the actual ownership of such assets, GPH has not and will not receive any service fee or other payments concerning the berthing of this superyacht at Bodrum Cruise Port.”

The company said the berthing of Solaris did not breach UK sanction laws because “the alleged offence has taken place at a port outside the United Kingdom where GPH does not have any ownership or any power to accept or reject any ship or yacht pursuant to the applicable laws”.

Solaris arrived at Bodrum Cruise Port on 22 March after hurriedly leaving a port in Barcelona , where it was undergoing repairs, as EU countries began seizing sanctioned individuals’ assets.

Ukrainian protesters tried to stop Solaris mooring at the port. Members of the Optimist Sailing Team Ukraine confronted the vessel in a small boat, chanting “No war in Ukraine” and waving the country’s flag. They were part of a junior sailing team that was in Turkey to compete in an annual competition, having left Ukraine before the invasion.

Turkey has refused to impose sanctions on Russians, despite the UK, US and EU uniting to restrict oligarchs believed to have benefited from close relationships with Putin. The Turkish foreign minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, said the oligarchs were “of course” welcome and could do business in Turkey according to international law.

Another, even larger, superyacht owned by Abramovich is moored in Turkey. Eclipse, which at 162.5 metres is believed to be the world’s second largest superyacht, arrived at the port of Marmaris on 22 March.

Reports suggest that Abramovich owns as many as five superyachts worth more than $1bn (£762m) in total. Another yacht linked to the billionaire, Garcon, is now berthed in Antigua.

The Antiguan government has asked for the UK’s assistance to seize the vessel. Ronald Sanders, the country’s ambassador to the US, told Reuters: “We’ve said that we’re quite happy to cooperate, but under the rule of law. The only way we can [seize the vessel] is if the British, in their mutual legal assistance treaty request, establish that this is a person they want because he has committed some crime.”

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Second Abramovich superyacht docks in sanctions-free Turkey

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Roman Abramovich’s £1.2m a week yacht

Fancy something different for your holiday this summer? Cruise the Med in Russian billionnaire Roman Abramovich's super-yacht the Eclipse - it will only cost you £1.2m a week.

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It seems I'm not the only one to find the cost of running a yacht increasingly prohibitive (see Blowing it', passim). In recent years, even oligarchs have started to rent out their mega-yachts to help with the vast running costs. The latest to join the group is Roman Abramovich. He is offering the chance to relax on his 533ft Eclipse for a mere £1.2m a week.

I made the mistake of buying a boat some years ago. Over the years I have enjoyed brief trips on it. Mainly, though, I've ploughed in a lot of money vainly attempting to keep the vessel seaworthy. But my costs pale into insignificance compared with the money involved in keeping Eclipse out of the dry dock. The world's largest private yacht cost Abramovich £300m to build. It's so big that when it turned up unannounced in Venice last month, locals and tourists complained that it was ruining the city's best views. It chews up an estimated £50m a year just in running costs just filling up with fuel will set you back £400,000.

Naturally, I seized the opportunity to show my wife how reasonable my own expenses have been in comparison. But she was quick to point out how much more Abramovich gets for his money. The Eclipse comes with a professional crew of 70 to tend to your every whim. Mine comprises me plus the odd reluctant family member. But then if my boat boasted a hair salon, gym, two swimming pools and a private submarine, the rest of my family might be more eager to jump onboard. The Eclipse also has its own missile defence system, armour plating and a paparazzi shield' that fires a laser beam at cameras to spoil photographs.

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It seems even a man of Abramovich's means has realised that paying £50m a year for a boat he barely sets foot on since he took delivery of it in December he's spent less than a day on board is daft. Especially when he has two other mega-yachts at his disposal. So he's aiming to recoup some of the costs with his rental offer although at £1.2m a week I don't think he's going to be overbooked. And he's not the only mega-yacht owner to go down this path either. You can also spend your holidays on Johnny Depp's, P Diddy's or Eric Clapton's floating palaces.

One man who is happy to heroically shoulder his running costs alone is Steven Spielberg. He has been sailing around the Mediterranean in his £220m luxury yacht, Seven Seas, with goddaughter Gwyneth Paltrow. His running costs were unexpectedly bumped up last week after he was confronted by Italian coastguards for driving the speedboat that comes with his yacht too close to the shoreline. His fine €172 would have been small change for a man of Spielberg's means. Given the size of Italy's debts, I'm surprised they didn't ask him for more.

Meanwhile, I'm looking at yet another repair bill for my own humble vessel. Perhaps I should sell it and save up my money to rent Abramovich's boat. It sometimes feels as though that would be the cheaper option.

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Sanctioned oligarch Abramovich seen at Russia-Ukraine talks

In this image taken from a video provided by the Turkish Presidency, Russian Roman Abramovich, center, listens to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the Russian and Ukrainian delegations meeting for talks in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Erdogan called for a cease-fire as the Russian and Ukrainian delegations resumed their two days of talks in Istanbul. (Turkish Presidency via AP)

In this image taken from a video provided by the Turkish Presidency, Russian Roman Abramovich, top center, 3rd from right, listens to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the Russian and Ukrainian delegations meeting for talks in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Erdogan called for a cease-fire as the Russian and Ukrainian delegations resumed their two days of talks in Istanbul. (Turkish Presidency via AP)

FILE - Chelsea soccer club owner Roman Abramovich attends the UEFA Women’s Champions League final soccer match against FC Barcelona in Gothenburg, Sweden on May 16, 2021. Sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has swapped the skybox seat he once proudly occupied at his beloved Chelsea soccer club for a place on the sidelines of negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow aimed at bringing to an end the bloody war of attrition unfolding in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

In this photo provided by Turkish Presidency, Russian Roman Abramovich, far second left, listens to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the Russian and Ukrainian delegations meeting for talks in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Erdogan called for a cease-fire as the Russian and Ukrainian delegations resumed their two days of talks in Istanbul. (Turkish Presidency via AP)

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ISTANBUL (AP) — Soccer club owner. Ally of Vladimir Putin. Sanctioned oligarch. Could diplomatic go-between be added to the resume of Roman Abramovich?

The 55-year-old billionaire has swapped the skybox seat he once proudly occupied at his beloved Chelsea soccer club in Britain for a spot on the sidelines of negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow aimed at ending Russia’s bloody war in Ukraine .

The silver-haired oil-and-aluminum tycoon stood in the background Tuesday as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan entered a hall packed with negotiators in a government building adjacent to the 19th century Ottoman palace, Dolmabahce, on the shores of the Bosporus in Istanbul.

It was left to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov to try to explain Abramovich’s role.

Abramovich has been “ensuring certain contacts between the Russian and Ukrainian sides,” Peskov said, but is not an official member of the delegation. He said both sides have approved his role.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Britain, Vadym Prystaiko, said, however: “I have no idea what Mr. Abramovich is claiming or doing. He is not a part of the negotiation team.”

The talks appeared to yield a cautious step toward scaling back Moscow’s offensive when Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said Russia would “fundamentally” cut back operations near Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv and a northern city in a move to build trust.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the two sides made “the most meaningful progress” since the start of the negotiations at their meeting in Istanbul.

Just being in the room in Istanbul marks a remarkable turnaround for Abramovich, who has been sanctioned by the U.K. government and European Union, although he is conspicuous by his absence from a list of oligarchs sanctioned by the United States.

Abramovich appears to have established contacts high in Ukrainian government circles, to go alongside his long-standing links to the Kremlin.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Kyiv had received “signals” with offers of help from Abramovich and others, along with requests to be spared from sanctions.

“Some of them were ready to help restore Ukraine after the war,” he said, before citing their offers: “‘We are ready to give money, we are ready to relocate business to Ukraine. We are now living in England or in Switzerland, we would like to do it. Is it possible not to be on the sanctions list?’”

Abramovich’s presence in Istanbul was all the more surprising as it came a day after reports that he may have been poisoned at an earlier round of talks.

The investigative news outlet Bellingcat reported Monday that Abramovich and two Ukrainian delegates suffered symptoms of nerve agent poisoning after attending talks on March 3, but all reportedly recovered.

The British Foreign Office said in a statement Tuesday that “the allegations are very concerning.” The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has not commented on the report.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also voiced his concern, telling the 1+1 TV channel: “I advise anyone going to the negotiations with the Russian Federation not to eat or drink anything and preferably avoid touching any surfaces.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had no details on the poisoning reports, but that the reporting to that effect “raises concerns because Russia has a real track record,” a reference to past poisoning cases blamed on Moscow.

Peskov dismissed the reports as “part of the information war. These reports obviously do not correspond to reality.”

Abramovich’s press representative had no comment on the reported poisoning or on his involvement in Russia-Ukraine talks.

Abramovich amassed a fortune in Russia’s oil and aluminum industries following the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union. In 2005, Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom paid $13 billion for the Sibneft oil company controlled by Abramovich, allowing Putin’s Kremlin to recapture state influence in the lucrative energy industry.

In announcing sanctions against Abramovich, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government called him a “pro-Kremlin oligarch” with an estimated fortune of more than 9 billion pounds ($12 billion) who should be punished for his association with Putin. Abramovich also was linked with “destabilizing” and threatening Ukraine.

It was a further fall from grace for Abramovich, whose $2 billion investment in Chelsea over 19 years transformed the English Premier League team into a force in European football and earned it the nicknames “Chelski” and the “Roman Empire.”

He is being forced to sell the club after his assets were frozen as part of a crackdown on oligarchs following Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion. The Premier League also disqualified him from running the west London club and being a director. Abramovich has said proceeds of the club’s sale, which is subject to government approval, will go to a foundation he started for victims of the war in Ukraine.

He has been largely absent from Britain since 2018, when he withdrew an application to renew his visa amid a clampdown on rich Russians after a former Russian spy and his daughter were poisoned in the English city of Salisbury. Britain blamed Russia for the pair’s exposure to a nerve agent, an allegation Moscow denied.

He took Israeli citizenship in 2018, although it is not clear how much time he spends in the country. He has been rumored to be in Israel several times since the war erupted, according to the movements of planes purportedly belonging to him. He was seen about two weeks ago at Ben-Gurion airport.

The Solaris, a yacht belonging Abramovich, was seen docked in Turkey’s Aegean Sea resort of Bodrum earlier this month, Turkish media reports said. NATO-member Turkey has not joined other members of the alliance in sanctions on Russia. A second yacht belonging to him, the Eclipse, was seen docked at a port in the Turkish resort of Marmaris, other Turkish media said..

Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands. Associated Press writers Danica Kirka in London, Matthew Lee in Washington and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine