the dilbar yacht

• Impressions

Delivered in 2016, Dilbar is the largest motor yacht in the world by gross tonnage. She is one of the most complbuilt as and challenging yachts ever built, in terms of both dimensions and technology. At 15,917 tons, the 156-meter superyacht features entertainment and recreation spaces never before seen on a yacht. These include a 25-meter swimming pool that holds an incredible 180 m³ of water, the largest pool ever to have been installed on a yacht. The exterior design, a classic profile with a light ivory hull and bronze accents, was developed by Espen Øino International. Her spectacular interior, created by the Winch Design team, uses rare and exclusive luxury materials.

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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.

Germany seizes the world's largest yacht (at least according to volume)

Rachel Treisman

The luxury superyacht Dilbar sails off the coast of Monaco in 2017. Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

The luxury superyacht Dilbar sails off the coast of Monaco in 2017.

German authorities have seized the world's largest yacht by volume after determining that a Russian oligarch had transferred its ownership to his sister — who is also facing Western sanctions.

Dilbar, the yacht in question, measures some 511 feet and 15,917 tons, which shipbuilder Lurssen says makes it the largest motor yacht in the world by gross tonnage. It has two helipads and one of the biggest indoor pools ever installed on a yacht, according to the U.S. Treasury Department , which puts its estimated worth between $600 and $735 million.

Why so many Russian billionaires are called oligarchs

The superyacht is named after the mother of its original owner: Alisher Usmanov, one of Russia's wealthiest billionaires and a known close associate of the Russian president. Usmanov was sanctioned by the U.S., United Kingdom., European Union and Switzerland in March, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Germany's federal police tweeted Wednesday that it found, "through extensive investigations despite offshore concealment," that the yacht currently belongs to Usmanov's sister, Gulbakhor Ismailova. Authorities impounded the yacht, which remains at the port of Hamburg , after confirming with Brussels that its owner is under sanctions.

A Russian billionaire's superyacht has been impounded in Hamburg, Germany. Harsh sanctions in response to the invasion of #Ukraine brought the estimated $600-750 million yacht Dilbar out of 'offshore concealment', and into the hands of authorities. pic.twitter.com/GYkH6SmQk2 — German Embassy (@GermanyinUSA) April 14, 2022

Ismailova was sanctioned by the U.K. on Wednesday and the EU last week. Both entities said Usmanov had indirectly transferred assets to his sister, including leaving her as Dilbar's only beneficial owner.

"The owner of the yacht 'Dilbar' is Navis Marine Ltd. (Cayman Islands), whose shareholder is Almenor Holdings Ltd. (Cyprus). All shares in that holding company are held by PomerolCapital SA (Switzerland) in trust for the benefit of 'The Sisters Trust,' " EU officials explained, adding that Usmanov has not been a shareholder of that trust company since 2017.

National Security

A russian oligarch's $90 million yacht is seized as part of u.s. sanctions.

Ukrainian sailors tried to block a Russian oligarch's yacht from docking in Turkey

Ismailova has also been linked to luxury real estate in Italy and Latvia associated with Usmanov, the EU said, and therefore has "actively supported materially or financially Russian decision-makers responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilisation of Ukraine."

Dilbar made headlines in early March , when Hamburg officials denied conflicting reports that they had seized the superyacht and said any such move would have to come from higher federal customs authorities.

According to Boat International, Dilbar is also the fourth-longest yacht in the world. It can accommodate up to 96 crew members as well as 24 guests in a large living space, which includes fold-out balconies, an onboard garden (with "a specifically developed variety of grass that tolerates salt air") and more than 1,000 custom-made sofa cushions.

This story originally appeared in the Morning Edition live blog .

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The best photos of 156m Lürssen superyacht Dilbar

Dilbar in southampton.

Dilbar was spotted moored at Southampton’s Town Quay earlier this year. The yacht then made its way across the English Channel and the North Sea to Germany. Delivered in 2016,  Dilbar  features exterior design by Espen Øino with interiors by Andrew Winch .

Dilbar Underway

Dilbar was later seen underway for Hamburg to begin a refit at the its home yard Lürssen . Dilbar has an total interior volume of 15,917GT and features a 180 cubic metre swimming pool believed to be the largest on any yacht.

Dilbar at Anchor

Here, Dilbar is seen at anchor in the Mediterranean following her delivery voyage in 2016.

Dilbar on Sea Trials

Previously known as Project Omar, Dilbar is seen here embarking on sea trials after first hitting the water in 2015. 

Dilbar Under Construction

This timelapse video showing the construction of the 156 metre superyacht Dilbar was released by Lürssen to mark the delivery of the superyacht. The footage shows construction underway on the hull and superstructure prior to launch and aerial footage of the record-breaking yacht on her delivery trip.

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Dilbar (ex: Project Omar)

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DILBAR yacht NOT for charter*

156m  /  511'10 | lurssen | 2016.

Owner & Guests

• Previous Yacht

Special Features:

• Elevator for easy access between floors
• Impressive 6,000nm range
• Multi-award winning
• Swimming pool
• Twelve cabins

The multi-award winning 156m/511'10" motor yacht 'Dilbar' was built by Lurssen in Germany at their Lemwerder shipyard. Her interior is styled by British designer design house Winch Design and she was delivered to her owner in May 2016. This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of Espen Oeino.

Guest Accommodation

Dilbar has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 24 guests in 12 suites. She is also capable of carrying up to 96 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

Her features include separate crew passageway, spa, beauty salon, elevator, underwater lights, gym and air conditioning.

Range & Performance

Dilbar is built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks. Powered by twin diesel-electric Wartsila (Electric Motor) 16,092hp engines running at 200rpm, she comfortably cruises at 18 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 22 knots with a range of up to 6,000 nautical miles from her 1,049,700 litre fuel tanks at 16 knots. Dilbar features at-anchor stabilizers providing exceptional comfort levels. Her water tanks store around 112,000 Litres of fresh water. She was built to Lloyds Register ✠ 100A1, PASSENGER SHIP, SHIPRIGHT (ACS(B), SDA, CM) ✠ LMC, UMS classification society rules.

*Charter Dilbar Motor Yacht

Motor yacht Dilbar is currently not believed to be available for private Charter. To view similar yachts for charter , or contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting a luxury charter yacht.

Dilbar Yacht Owner, Captain or marketing company

'Yacht Charter Fleet' is a free information service, if your yacht is available for charter please contact us with details and photos and we will update our records.

Dilbar Photos

Dilbar Awards & Nominations

• The World Superyacht Awards 2017 Motor Yacht of the Year Winner
• The World Superyacht Awards 2017 Best Displacement Motor Yacht of 3,000GT and above (approximately 85m+) Winner
• International Superyacht Society Awards 2017 Best Power 65m+ Nomination

NOTE to U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Specification

M/Y Dilbar

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World’s largest yacht, linked to Russian billionaire, seized by Germany

The shipbuilder behind the world’s largest yacht by tonnage describes it as “one of the most complex and challenging yachts ever built,” with “entertainment and recreation spaces never before seen on” such a vessel, and an interior of “rare and exclusive luxury materials.”

It has two helipads and the largest yacht pool ever built, and it can accommodate 36 guests and 96 staff. And this week, it was impounded by German authorities for its ties to a Russian oligarch.

Germany’s federal police said Tuesday that “through extensive investigations despite offshore concealment,” it found that the yacht is owned by Gulbakhor Ismailova, the sister of Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov.

After police confirmed with Brussels that the vessel’s owner was sanctioned, the superyacht — named Dilbar, after Usmanov’s mother, according to the U.S. Treasury Department — was impounded. It is being held in the Port of Hamburg in Germany.

Meanwhile, in Fiji, police are reportedly investigating a superyacht, suspected of being owned by Russian oligarch Suleyman Kerimov , which docked in the Pacific island nation this week.

The Dilbar, the yacht impounded in Germany, is registered in the Cayman Islands, according to the Treasury Department, and worth between $600 million and $735 million, with an estimated annual running cost of $60 million.

There are larger yachts by length. But at 15,917 tons, the Dilbar is the world’s largest yacht by internal volume, according to the ship’s maker, Lürssen, which touts its “classic profile with a light ivory hull and bronze accents.”

Usmanov is “known to be close to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin as well as Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia and former President and Prime Minister of Russia,” the Treasury Department said, alleging that his ties to the Kremlin “enrich him and enable his luxurious lifestyle.”

In the early days of the invasion, President Biden warned Russian oligarchs: “We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets.”

U.S. hunt for Russian oligarchs’ huge fortunes faces barriers offshore

The United States said on March 3 that it had sanctioned Usmanov, alleging he was among the “key elites” allowing Putin to wage his war on Ukraine. Experts from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe determined in a fact-finding report published Wednesday that Russia broke international humanitarian law by deliberately targeting civilians during its invasion of Ukraine. The United States and other nations have accused Russia of committing war crimes there, and Biden on Tuesday said Putin was committing “ genocide ” in Ukraine.

Usmanov, 68, is the 86th-richest person in the world, with an estimated fortune of $19.1 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index . He has “vast holdings across multiple sectors” of Russia’s economy and internationally, the Treasury Department said, including a 49 percent stake in USM, a holding company that controls Russia’s largest iron ore producer, according to Bloomberg.

A representative for Usmanov was not immediately available, and USM did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In the Fiji case, an official at the National Police Command and Control Center told Reuters that the captain of the vessel, which arrived Tuesday, was being questioned about how it came to Fiji without customs clearance.

Kerimov has been sanctioned by the United States, Britain and the European Union, but questions about the ownership of the luxury vessel remain. Police have seized the superyacht, called the Amadea, a 348-foot vessel worth $325 million, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

The U.S. Embassy in Suva told the Fiji Times it is “cooperating with Fijian authorities on the matter” and is “committed to finding and seizing the assets of the oligarchs who have supported the Russian Federation’s brutal, unprovoked war of choice against Ukraine.”

Adela Suliman in London contributed to this report.

Hot on the trail of 56 superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs and subject to seizure

• Published: Mar. 06, 2022, 2:04 p.m.

French authorities have seized the yacht Amore Vero linked to Igor Sechin, a Putin ally who runs Russian oil giant Rosneft, as part of EU sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The boat arrived in La Ciotat on Jan. 3 for repairs and was slated to stay until April 1 and was seized to prevent an attempted departure. (AP Photo/Bishr Eltoni) AP

• The Associated Press

The massive superyacht Dilbar stretches one-and-a-half football fields in length, about as long as a World War I dreadnought. It boasts two helipads, berths for more than 130 people and a 25-meter swimming pool long enough to accommodate another whole superyacht.

Dilbar was launched in 2016 at a reported cost of more than $648 million. Five years on, its purported owner, the Kremlin-aligned Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, was already dissatisfied and sent the vessel to a German shipyard last fall for a retrofit reportedly costing another couple hundred million dollars.

That’s where she lay in drydock on Thursday when the United States and European Union announced economic sanctions against Usmanov — a metals magnate and early investor in Facebook — over his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine.

“We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets,” President Joe Biden said during his State of the Union speech Tuesday night, addressing the oligarchs. “We are coming for your ill-begotten gains.”

But actually seizing the behemoth boats could prove challenging. Russian billionaires have had decades to shield their money and assets in the West from governments that might try to tax or seize them.

Several media outlets reported Wednesday that German authorities had impounded Dilbar. But a spokeswoman for Hamburg state’s economy ministry told The Associated Press no such action had yet been taken because it had been unable to establish ownership of the yacht, which is named for Usmanov’s mother.

Dilbar is flagged in the Cayman Islands and registered to a holding company in Malta, two secretive banking havens where the global ultra-rich often park their wealth.

Still, in the industry that caters to the exclusive club of billionaires and centimillionaires that can afford to buy, crew and maintain superyachts, it is often an open secret who owns what.

Working with the U.K.-based yacht valuation firm VesselsValue, the AP compiled a list of 56 superyachts — generally defined as luxury vessels exceeding 79 feet in length — believed to be owned by a few dozen Kremlin-aligned oligarchs, seaborne assets with a combined market value estimated at more than $5.4 billion.

The AP then used two online services — VesselFinder and MarineTraffic — to plot the last known locations of the yachts as relayed by their onboard tracking beacons.

While many are still anchored at or near sun-splashed playgrounds in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, more than a dozen were underway to or had already arrived in remote ports in small nations such as the Maldives and Montenegro, potentially beyond the reach of Western sanctions. Three are moored in Dubai, where many wealthy Russians have vacation homes.

Another three had gone dark, their transponders last pinging just outside the Bosporus in Turkey — gateway to the Black Sea and the southern Russian ports of Sochi and Novorossiysk.

Graceful, a German-built Russian-flagged superyacht believed to belong to Putin, left a repair yard in Hamburg on Feb. 7, two weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine. It is now moored in the Russian Baltic port of Kaliningrad, beyond the reach of Western sanctions imposed against him this past week.

Some Russian oligarchs appear to have not gotten the memo to move their superyachts, despite weeks of public warnings of Putin’s planned invasion.

French authorities seized the superyacht Amore Vero on Thursday in the Mediterranean resort town of La Ciotat. The boat is believed to belong to Igor Sechin, a Putin ally who runs Russian oil giant Rosneft, which has been on the U.S. sanctions list since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

The French Finance Ministry said in a statement that customs authorities boarded the 289-foot Amore Vero and discovered its crew was preparing for an urgent departure, even though planned repair work wasn’t finished. The $120 million boat is registered to a company that lists Sechin as its primary shareholder.

On Saturday, Italian financial police in the port of San Remo seized the 132-foot superyacht Lena, which is flagged in the British Virgin Islands. Authorities said the boat belongs to Gennady Timchenko, an oligarch close to Putin and among those sanctioned by the European Union. With an estimated net worth of $16.2 billion, Timchenko is the founder of the Volga Group, which specializes in investments in energy, transport and infrastructure assets.

The 213-foot Lady M was also seized by the Italians while moored in the Riviera port town of Imperia. In a tweet announcing the seizure on Friday, a spokesman for Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said the comparatively modest $27 million vessel was the property of sanctioned steel baron Alexei Mordashov, listed as Russia’s wealthiest man with a fortune of about $30 billion.

But Mordashov’s upsized yacht, the 464-foot Nord, was safely at anchor on Friday in the Seychelles, a tropical island chain in the Indian Ocean not under the jurisdiction of U.S. or EU sanctions. Among the world’s biggest superyachts, Nord has a market value of $500 million.

Since Friday, Italy has seized $156 million in luxury yachts and villas in some of its most picturesque destinations, including Sardinia, the Ligurian coast and Lake Como.

Most of the Russians on the annual Forbes list of billionaires have not yet been sanctioned by the United States and its allies, and their superyachts are still cruising the world’s oceans.

The evolution of oligarch yachts goes back to the tumultuous decade after the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union, as state oil and metals industries were sold off at rock-bottom prices, often to politically connected Russian businessmen and bankers who had provided loans to the new Russian state in exchange for the shares.

Russia’s nouveau riche began buying luxury yachts similar in size and expense to those owned by Silicon Valley billionaires, heads of state and royalty. It’s a key marker of status in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and size matters.

“No self-respecting Russian oligarch would be without a superyacht,” said William Browder, a U.S.-born and now London-based financier who worked in Moscow for years before becoming one of the Putin regime’s most vocal foreign critics. “It’s part of the rite of passage to being an oligarch. It’s just a prerequisite.”

As their fortunes ballooned, there was something of an arms race among the oligarchs, with the richest among them accumulating personal fleets of ever more lavish boats.

For example, Russian metals and petroleum magnate Roman Abramovich is believed to have bought or built at least seven of the world’s largest yachts, some of which he has since sold off to other oligarchs.

In 2010, Abramovich launched the Bermuda-flagged Eclipse, which at 533 feet was at the time the world’s longest superyacht. Features include a wood-burning firepit and swimming pool that transforms into a dance floor. Eclipse also boasts its own helicopter hangar and an undersea bay that reportedly holds a mini-sub.

Dennis Cauiser, a superyacht analyst with VesselsFinder, said oligarch boats often include secret security measures worthy of a Bond villain, including underwater escape hatches, bulletproof windows and armored panic rooms.

“Eclipse is equipped with all sorts of special features, including missile launchers and self-defense systems on board,” Cauiser said. “It has a secret submarine evacuation area and things like that.”

Eclipse was soon eclipsed by Azzam, purportedly owned by the emir of Abu Dhabi, which claimed the title of longest yacht when it was launched in 2013. Three years after that, Usmanov launched Dilbar, which replaced another slightly smaller yacht by the same name. The new Dilbar is the world’s largest yacht by volume.

Abramovich, whose fortune is estimated at $12.4 billion, fired back last year by launching Solaris. While not as long as Eclipse or as big as Dilbar, the $600 million Bermuda-flagged boat is possibly even more luxurious. Eight stories tall, Solaris features a sleek palisade of broad teak-covered decks suitable for hosting a horde of well-heeled partygoers.

But no boat is top dog for long. At least 20 superyachts are reported to be under construction in various Northern European shipyards, including a $500 million superyacht being built for the American billionaire Jeff Bezos.

“It’s about ego,” Cauiser said. “They all want to have the best, the longest, the most valuable, the newest, the most luxurious.”

But, he added, the escalating U.S. and EU sanctions on Putin-aligned oligarchs and Russian banks have sent a chill through the industry, with boatbuilders and staff worried they won’t be paid. It can cost upwards of $50 million a year to crew, fuel and maintain a superyacht.

The crash of the ruble and the tanking of Moscow stock market have depleted the fortunes of Russia’s elite, with several people dropping off the list of Forbes billionaires last week. Cauiser said he expects some oligarch superyachts will soon quietly be listed by brokers at fire-sale prices.

The 237-foot Stella Maris, which was seen by an AP journalist docked this past week in Nice, France, was believed to be owned by Rashid Sardarov, a Russian billionaire oil and gas magnate. After publication of an earlier version of this story, AP was contacted Sunday by yacht broker Joan Plana Palao, who said his company represents a U.S. citizen from California who purchased the Stella Maris last month. He declined to disclose the name of the buyer or the person from whom the boat had been purchased.

On Thursday, the U.S. Treasury Department issued a new round of sanctions that included a press release touting Usmanov’s close ties to Putin and photos of Dilbar and the oligarch’s private jet, a custom-built 209-foot Airbus A340-300 passenger liner. Treasury said Usmanov’s aircraft is believed to have cost up to $500 million and is named Bourkhan, after his father.

Usmanov, whose fortune has recently shrunk to about $17 billion, criticized the sanctions.

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“I believe that such a decision is unfair and the reasons employed to justify the sanctions are a set of false and defamatory allegations damaging my honor, dignity and business reputation,” he said in a statement issued through the website of the International Fencing Federation, of which he has served as president since 2008.

Abramovich has not yet been sanctioned. Members of the British Parliament have criticized Prime Minister Boris Johnson for not going after Abramovich’s U.K.-based assets, which include the professional soccer club Chelsea. Under mounting pressure, the oligarch announced this past week he would sell the $2.5 billion team and give the net proceeds “for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine.”

Meanwhile, location transponders showed Solaris moored in Barcelona, Spain, on Saturday. Eclipse set sail from St. Maarten late Thursday and is underway in the Caribbean Sea, destination undisclosed.

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‘Project Ali Baba’ Yacht Makes Jeff Bezos’ $700 Million Megayacht Look Tiny

Image: DMARGE/BOAT

• Lurssen’s $450 million Project Ali Baba is a 466-foot floating palace, set for delivery in December 2024.
• This luxury superyacht will accommodate 24 guests across 12 staterooms, served by 45 crew members, and features two helipads.
• Despite a collision during construction and a change in ownership due to sanctions, Project Ali Baba promises to set new standards in the world of luxury yachting.

Last year, German shipyard Lurssen made headlines with the unfortunate fire and the destruction of a Saudi billionaire’s $250 million USD yacht . But, like the phoenix rising from the ashes, Lurssen’s back in the spotlight with the superyacht Project Ali Baba—a 466-foot vessel that makes Jeff Bezos’ 416-foot sailing yacht, Koru , look like a dinghy in comparison.

A Palace Fit for a Super-Modern Sultan

Project Ali Baba has begun sea trials in Germany, with construction nearly complete and only minor adjustments remaining. The trials showcase a close-up of the yacht’s extended bow, drawing inspiration in design from military styles. The vessel is scheduled for delivery in December 2024.

At $450 million USD, Project Ali Baba is the nautical equivalent of the GDP of a small country. This aquatic wonder will sleep 24 guests in 12 staterooms, waited on by 45 crew—because when you’re this wealthy, even your help has help.

The four-deck yacht features two helipads—one fore and one aft—revealing the near-constant flurry of high-profile visitors. It also features a spacious beach club off the aft of the main deck and several lounge areas sprinkled throughout, promising endless possibilities for relaxation and fun.

Luxury That Defies Description

Characteristically tight-lipped, Lurssen doesn’t give away many secrets regarding the interior of this yacht. However, reports suggest unparalleled luxury abounds: sumptuous furnishings, sophisticated entertainment systems, and custom finishes redefine opulence. The upper deck is rumoured to be a private sanctuary for the ultra-wealthy owner, with exclusive amenities to fire the imagination.

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Built from a steel hull, aluminium superstructure, and teak decking, Project Ali Baba is an engineering masterpiece with great design. With a gross tonnage of 9,400 GT, she will enter into the elite fleet of only 70 motor yachts that have exceeded 100 meters in length. Her MTU engines promise impressive performance, with a maximum speed of 20 knots and a cruise speed of 12 knots. With an added 3,000 nautical mile range, no destination will be out of reach.

A Giant’s Turbulent Path

The path of this yacht to centre stage wasn’t all without incident. In December last year , the yacht collided with an internal gate and had a brief encounter with a bridge, providing an early, brief glimpse of the gigantic vessel of luxury.

Project Ali Baba started construction in 2019 and was commissioned by Russian billionaire Leonid Mikhelson, estimated to be worth $25.5 billion USD per Bloomberg . Then came Russia’s war on Ukraine, and Mikhelson wasn’t able to take possession because of subsequent sanctions. Sold while still under construction, the true identity of Project Ali Baba’s new owner remains a tantalising mystery.

The Future of Floating Fortunes

Even as climate activists protest these fuel-guzzling giants and the occasional superyacht meets an unexpected fate , the demand for these floating palaces simply shows no signs of abating. Project Ali Baba is among the ten superyachts in the construction process at Lurssen.

As a matter of fact, it is estimated that the global superyacht market was valued at over $10.2 billion USD in 2022 and is set to hit $25.7 billion USD by 2032, growing at a robust 9.8% CAGR.

Whether one applauds or condemns the luxury yacht industry, the numbers do tell the story. The rich and famous continue to pump money into these fabulous vessels as part status and part testament to their unlimited wealth. With Project Ali Baba set to rule the waves, the adage is once again proved right that as far as superyachts are concerned, nothing’s too big, too luxurious, or too expensive.

After all, in the world of the super-rich, the sea’s the limit.

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