Roman Abramovich's superyacht Solaris heads for Turkey as oligarch Chelsea owner gets assets out of Europe
One of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's superyachts, Solaris, is heading for Turkey, while a second, Eclipse, is off the coast off Algeria. Another Russian oligarch, Andrey Melnichenko, recently had a £444m superyacht seized by Italian authorities as part of EU sanctions.
By Jason Farell, Sky News correspondent, in Istanbul
Thursday 17 March 2022 10:44, UK
Roman Abramovich appears to be on a mission to get his assets out of Europe as sanctions tighten.
His superyacht Solaris, worth £430m, is heading south, apparently towards Turkey , after docking in Montenegro on Sunday. Previously, it had been at a repair yard in Barcelona - and had it remained there it might well have been seized by now.
Abramovich has been named on the fourth package of European Union sanctions that will see assets frozen for those Russian super rich considered to be linked to President Vladimir Putin.
Follow live updates on Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Due to sanctions passed last week, any cash or property the Chelsea FC owner holds in the UK are now frozen. His shares on the London stock exchange cannot be sold and won't pay dividends, and he can no longer benefit from the planned £3bn sale of the club. He is also banned from entering the UK.
Abramovich's journey back to Russia
Abramovich's second superyacht, Eclipse, is off the coast of Algeria. Its closest European port is Italy - where another oligarch, Andrey Melnichenko, recently had a £444m superyacht seized by authorities as part of EU sanctions.
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On Sunday night, Abramovich made a whistle-stop trip to Israel, where he is a citizen. Israel currently has no sanctions on Russian oligarchs, and the billionaire owns property in the country.
He was photographed at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport on Monday afternoon before flying for a brief stop in Istanbul; Turkey is another possible safe destination for Russian money. From Istanbul his private Gulfstream G650ER jet - registration LX-Ray - flew to Moscow in the early hours of Tuesday morning .
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Turkish businessman Muhsin Bayrak claims to have met Abramovich, last week, to discuss buying Chelsea. A spokesperson for Mr Bayrak says another meeting was planned later this week.
Despite the British government freezing £3.2bn of his UK assets, including the west London club, it is thought Abramovich could still play a role in the sale, but only on the basis that he does not personally profit from it.
It is not clear whether Mr Bayrak, who made his money in energy, real estate, and cryptocurrency, has the funds to make the purchase.
What is happening with the Chelsea sale?
The British government is open to a sale and wishes to minimalise impact on the club and its fans, but Chelsea is required to approach the government with a proposal before a new licence is granted. Its primary condition is that Abramovich does not financially benefit from any sale.
Read more: How sanctions on Abramovich will affect Chelsea fans
Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale on 2 March, pledging to write off £1.5bn of debt and to divert all proceeds to a new foundation to benefit victims of the war in Ukraine .
The government sanctioned him, claiming to have proved his direct links to Mr Putin's regime. Abramovich has always denied any association.
On Tuesday, a further 370 new sanctions were announced by the UK government - bringing the total to more than 1,000 individuals, entities and subsidiaries now under the Russia sanctions regime since the invasion of Ukraine.
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Nigel Huddleston, the minister for sport, told a committee of MPs: "We are working with Chelsea and the fans that the measures we have put in place primarily impact Roman Abramovich and make sure he does not benefit, whilst making sure that where possible we can reduce the impact on the fans and make sure Chelsea can still continue.
"Can the government allow an entity to fail? Yes, it can, whether it's sport or football or anything else, but what we want to do is make sure the impact of sanctions hits those we want."
Looking to the future, he told the digital, culture, media and sport select committee: "We do recognise there is a need for further refinement and more robust owners' and directors' tests and the integrity element of that is something that is being pushed."
In other developments:
• More than 100,000 Britons register interest to house Ukrainian refugees • UK announces sanctions against 350 more Russian nationals and entities • UK bans luxury goods exports to Russia and hikes import tariffs on products - including vodka • Briton who travelled to warzone to join military fight against Russia leaves over 'suicide mission' fears • Employee interrupts Russian news programme with anti-war slogan
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Video: First look at 140m superyacht SOLARIS totally unveiled
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By Nina Done 24 March 2021
New video footage of the elegant 140m mega yacht SOLARIS reveals more of her spectacular design features following her official launch from the Lloyd Werft shipyard in February — which was slightly hampered by a case of heavy fog. She has now left the German shipyard to undergo sea trials before her expected delivery this summer.
Penned by Australian designer Marc Newson in his debut superyacht project, SOLARIS is the culmination of four years under construction where the project has been mired in secrecy. Her preparation for sea trials comes after much excitement that's rippled through the yachting industry.
The video footage reveals an aft glass-bottomed pool, 2 beach clubs, an expansive swim platform and pronounced wing stations on either side offering enhanced visibility for the captain whilst maneuvering.
In addition, floor-to-ceiling windows will allow plenty of natural light throughout her interiors, with exterior glass railings offering unique views of her surroundings whilst enjoying the alfresco entertainment.
18 megawatts of combined propulsion...will propel SOLARIS at speeds unheard of for superyachts of this size.
SOLARIS boasts a whopping 8 decks, helipad, plus hangar and generous beach club aft. She also has a tender garage equipped with a crane for launching tenders, cleverly designed to be hidden away from the main guest areas.
Her elegant appearance is accentuated by the large arch that wraps across the beam midships, providing a dramatic contrast with the sleek lines of her pale grey hull and crisp white superstructure.
Enhanced power
18 megawatts of combined propulsion delivered through two state of the art Azipods managed by an ABB Engine Management System will propel SOLARIS at speeds unheard of for superyachts of this size.
Availability for yacht charter?
SOLARIS is being built for an experienced owner and it is believed that she will not be offered for charter by those in the industry. If you would like to visit areas outside of the usual cruising grounds of the Mediterranean and Caribbean then please take a look our selection of expedition yachts for charter that are currently available.
For further advice please get in touch with your chosen yacht charter broker . Video by: DrDuu Photos: Philipp Gonschorek
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Ukraine invasion — explained
The roots of Russia's invasion of Ukraine go back decades and run deep. The current conflict is more than one country fighting to take over another; it is — in the words of one U.S. official — a shift in "the world order." Here are some helpful stories to make sense of it all.
Ukrainian sailors tried to block a Russian oligarch's yacht from docking in Turkey
Rachel Treisman
A yacht reportedly belonging to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich is docked at an Aegean coastal resort in Bodrum, Turkey, on Monday. A group of young Ukrainian sailors had protested its arrival from a small boat. -/Ihlas News Agency/AFP via Getty hide caption
A yacht reportedly belonging to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich is docked at an Aegean coastal resort in Bodrum, Turkey, on Monday. A group of young Ukrainian sailors had protested its arrival from a small boat.
Two superyachts linked to Russian oligarch and Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich have reportedly docked in the sanction-free waters of Turkey in recent days, though not without protest.
The Solaris yacht left Montenegro last week and traveled southeast to Turkey, avoiding European waters and arriving at the port city of Bodrum on Monday, Reuters reported , citing shipping data.
Why so many Russian billionaires are called oligarchs
There, the 460-foot yacht was met by a small group of young Ukrainian sailors who tried to block it from reaching the dock. Video footage from the BBC, CNN, SkyNews and others shows people on a small boat, waving Ukrainian flags and chanting "no war in Ukraine."
Güldenay Sonumut, a producer for Sky News, tweeted footage of several people sitting in a boat bobbing in the water, chanting "Go away!" at the massive yacht in front of them.
A tiny team but they made quite some waves. Say hi to the Ukraine National Sailing Youth Team who were not afraid to get on their boat and protest Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich's mega-yacht entering #Bodrum Marina in Turkey. #UkraineRussiaWar #UkraineSailingTeam pic.twitter.com/rvQMolAwuC — Güldenay Sonumut (@Guldenay007) March 22, 2022
They have been identified as students of the Odesa Children and Youth Sailing School, also known as the Optimist Sailing Club. The BBC says the team had left Ukraine before Russia invaded last month to compete in an annual competition in Turkey.
Coach Paulo Dontsov told CNN that it was the full team's decision to protest, telling the BBC that their aim was to make supporters of the war uncomfortable. He said the Turkish coast guard eventually arrived and asked the dinghy to move slightly farther away.
A Russian oligarch's superyacht is stuck in Norway because no one will sell it fuel
"We talked with them and they were polite," he added. "They said that they realized why we're doing this, but we should do it with keeping the rules of their country."
Sky News reports that the protesters were temporarily detained after the incident and that Abramovich is not believed to have been on board the yacht at the time.
Sanctions on Russia may limit the number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey
The Solaris is currently docked in Bodrum, according to the tracker Marine Traffic . And a second superyacht linked to Abramovich also arrived in Turkey this week.
Citing Turkish media, ABC News reports that a yacht named Eclipse docked at a port in the resort town of Marmaris on Tuesday. Unnamed sources told Reuters that Abramovich and other wealthy Russians are looking to invest in Turkey amid mounting sanctions from Western countries.
Turkey has criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine but has said it won't introduce sanctions because it sees them as counterproductive.
This story originally appeared on the Morning Edition live blog .
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Breaking news, second roman abramovich superyacht docks in sanctions-free turkey.
A second superyacht linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich docked in a Turkish resort on Tuesday, and sources familiar with the discussions said he and other wealthy Russians were looking to invest in Turkey given sanctions elsewhere.
Western governments have targeted Abramovich and several other Russian oligarchs with sanctions as they seek to isolate President Vladimir Putin and his allies over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
While strongly criticizing the invasion, Turkey has said it opposes sanctions imposed by its NATO allies on principle.
That could set it up as a possible safe haven for Russians seeking to make investments and preserve assets.
Eclipse, which is one of the world’s biggest yachts at 162.5 meters (533 feet), docked in the resort of Marmaris in southwest Turkey after skirting Greek islands, according to a Reuters witness and tracking data. It sails under a Bermuda flag.
The vessel is reported to have two helipads, nine decks, a swimming pool and built-in missile defenses.
Solaris, another superyacht linked to Abramovich, arrived a day earlier in the resort of Bodrum some 80 km (50 miles) away, after having also avoided the waters of European Union countries that have sanctioned the oligarchs.
They are among a string of yachts owned by Abramovich, according to reports in luxury goods publications SuperYachtFan, SuperYacht and Forbes.
Abramovich, the owner of English football club Chelsea , was in Istanbul briefly last week, according to flight tracking data and people familiar with the travels. There was no indication he was aboard either yacht.
A source in Ankara with knowledge of recent conversations with Abramovich said he and other wealthy Russians were looking to invest in Turkey given the sanctions imposed elsewhere.
“He wants to do some work and may buy some assets,” the source said, adding that the oligarch already had some assets in Turkey. The source did not give details.
Another source in Ankara said Turkey was not currently considering joining sanctions action and expected wealthy Russians to purchases assets and make investments.
“We act sensitively on issues such as bringing the oligarchs’ money to Turkey,” the person said.
A spokesperson for Abramovich did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
The foreign and interior ministries did not immediately comment on whether Western governments had requested that Turkey seize sanctioned assets. Last week, the banking regulator told Reuters it was monitoring sanctions applied on Russia but had not instructed banks to limit citizens of any country.
Boat protesters
A small group of people on a motor boat protested in front of Solaris as it docked, holding Ukrainian flags emblazoned with the words “no war,” footage shared by the expat association “Ukrainians in Bodrum” showed.
With the arrival of Eclipse and Solaris, Abramovich has for now stationed upwards of $1.2 billion of his fortune in Turkey, with each vessel estimated to be worth $600 million or more. Russian-linked yachts are stuck in several countries including Italy, Spain and Germany.
Sanctions are delicate for Turkey, which has close trade and diplomatic links with both Russia and Ukraine. Critics of President Tayyip Erdogan’s government have said the balancing act could leave it vulnerable internationally.
“The anchoring in Turkish marinas of yachts embargoed in European countries may leave Turkey in a difficult situation in the international arena,” Utku Cakirozer, an MP from the main opposition CHP party, told Reuters.
After meeting Erdogan in Ankara on Tuesday, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he supported Turkey’s role in maintaining dialogue with both Ukraine and Russia.
“Turkey is doing everything that it can do. It is one of the few open lines we have with both,” he told a news conference.
“We would very much favor for Turkey to implement all the sanctions but I think we also have to be happy with the fact that Turkey is playing its diplomatic role.”
Russia calls its invasion a “special military operation” aimed at disarming Ukraine and removing what it says are dangerous nationalists in government. Ukraine and Western allies say that is a false pretext for an unprovoked war.
Turkey has sought to mediate a ceasefire and peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv.
The 140-meter (460-foot) Solaris, which also sails under a Bermuda flag, remained moored in Bodrum on Tuesday, a week after it left Montenegro’s Adriatic resort town of Tivat.
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Yacht, IMO 9729336
- VesselFinder
- Miscellaneous
The current position of SOLARIS is at Aegean Sea reported 44 hours ago by AIS. The vessel SOLARIS (IMO 9729336, MMSI 319062700) is a Yacht built in 2014 (10 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of Cayman Islands .
Position & Voyage Data
| Predicted ETA | - |
| Distance / Time | - |
| Course / Speed | |
| Current draught | 3.0 m |
| Navigation Status | - |
| Position received | |
| IMO / MMSI | 9729336 / 319062700 |
| Callsign | ZGDS6 |
| Flag | Cayman Islands |
| Length / Beam | 40 / 8 m |
Map position & Weather
Recent port calls, vessel particulars.
| IMO number | 9729336 |
| Vessel Name | SOLARIS |
| Ship Type | Yacht |
| Flag | Cayman Islands |
| Year of Build | 2014 |
| Length Overall | 40.00 |
| Length BP | - |
| Beam | 8.00 |
| Draught | |
| Depth |
| Gross Tonnage | 395 |
| Net Tonnage | |
| Deadweight | - |
| TEU | - |
| Crude Oil | - |
| Gas ) | - |
| Grain ) | - |
| Bale ) | - |
| Ballast Water ) | - |
| Fresh Water ) | - |
| Builder | |
| Place of Build | |
| Hull | - |
| Material | |
| Engine Builder | - |
| Engine Type | - |
| Engine Power | - |
| Fuel Type | - |
| Service Speed | - |
| Propeller | - |
| Registered Owner | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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IMAGES
COMMENTS
Media reported the yacht, which was in Barcelona for repairs, put to sea on March 8, 2022, as yacht seizures began to escalate. She was in port at Tivat, Montenegro, March 12-14, then was determined to be in Turkish waters. [5] Between March 21 and April 3, she was reported to have docked at Bodrum in Turkey, where the ship would not be subject to the sanctions. [6][7]
1. The Bermuda-flagged luxury yacht "Solaris" belonging to Roman Abramovich sails near the Aegean coastal resort of Bodrum, Turkey, March 21, 2022. (IHA via AP) A second superyacht belonging to ...
One of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's superyachts, Solaris, is heading for Turkey, while a second, Eclipse, is off the coast off Algeria. Another Russian oligarch, Andrey Melnichenko, recently ...
The 140m explorer yacht Solaris built by Lloyd Werft, is seen here anchored in Yalikavak, Turkey.
Up close with one of 2021's most anticipated new superyachts - the 140-metre super explorer SOLARIS.Built by Lloyd Wert in Germany for an experienced owner, ...
The billionaire's 140-meter (460-foot) Bermudan-flagged superyacht Solaris was filmed in the holiday resort of Bodrum in southwest Turkey on Monday, more than a week after being spotted at a port ...
Roman Abramovich's yacht was off the coast of Turkey on Monday, ship-tracking data shows. His $600 million yacht, Solaris, is "scenic cruising" without a port destination, per MarineTraffic. It ...
A $600 million superyacht owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich set sail on a "scenic cruise" in the Mediterranean on Monday, tracking data shows. The 460-foot Solaris departed the port of ...
A superyacht, belonging to the sanctioned Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, was cruising a few kilometres off the coast of southwest Turkey on Monday, according to ship tracking data, provided ...
New video footage of the elegant 140m mega yacht SOLARIS reveals more of her spectacular design features following her official launch from the Lloyd Werft shipyard in February — which was slightly hampered by a case of heavy fog. She has now left the German shipyard to undergo sea trials before her expected delivery this summer.
The Solaris yacht left Montenegro last week and traveled southeast to Turkey, avoiding European waters and arriving at the port city of Bodrum on Monday, Reuters reported, citing shipping data.
A few days back we learned that sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's $600 million superyacht Solaris was forced to leave the port of Bodrum in Turkey. After finding temporary refuge at the Turkish port town, the uber-luxury vessel is again on the run to escape sanctions. Going by the publicly available tracking data, the 140-meter explorer yacht is currently aimlessly cruising in ...
MARMARIS, Turkey, March 22 (Reuters) - A second superyacht linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich docked in a Turkish resort on Tuesday and sources familiar with the discussions said he ...
Abramovich's Solaris yacht. With the arrival of Eclipse and Solaris, Abramovich has for now stationed upwards of $1.2 billion of his fortune in Turkey. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Yacht, IMO 9729336. The current position of SOLARIS is at Aegean Sea reported 3 days ago by AIS. The vessel is en route to the port of Bodrum, Turkey, sailing at a speed of 0.1 knots and expected to arrive there on Jun 12, 20:30 . The vessel SOLARIS (IMO 9729336, MMSI 319062700) is a Yacht built in 2014 (10 years old) and currently sailing ...
Unveiling the Solaris yacht, an extravagant superyacht owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. This exquisite vessel redefines the limits of luxury and engineering, boasting cutting-edge design and unparalleled amenities. Dive into the remarkable details of the Solaris and learn what makes it one of the most impressive superyachts in the world.
The saga of Russian oligarchs and their superyacht continues. Much like eloped lovers who need to stay out of the reach of families, Roman Abramovich's $600m superyacht Solaris won't get an extra day of solace and has left a port in Turkey. A few weeks ago, Solaris was found aimlessly cruising on the high seas to avoid seizure before finding temporary refuge in the ports of Turkey ...
Roman Abramovich's $600 million yacht Solaris docked in Bodrum, Turkey, on Monday, per ship-tracking data. The oligarch's $700 million superyacht arrived Tuesday in Marmaris, Turkey, Marine ...
Two extraordinary tenders for an extraordinary superyacht. The 140-meter Solaris is the largest explorer yacht in the world, built by Lloyd Werft and launche...
In 2020 the Solaris 60 will be launched. This model will mark the way of building and conceiving the boat and it will influence the nautical design for the next ten years. Solaris 60 is inspired by the idea of creating a Mini-Maxi, a high performance sailboat, with an overall length of 18.31 m. This length allows to take part in offshore ...
SOLARIS 47 Turkey Ben Vaes Mob. +49 172 919 2533 [email protected] PDF 2020 | Volvo 75 hp
Solaris Yachts continues to evolve and reinvent itself: we are excited to introduce our new Solaris 50'. Following the success of the Solaris 48' and 50' over the years, we started designing new waterlines. This project led to the creation of a new Solaris 50' with an LOA of 15,50m and beam of 4,78m.