- The Antigua and Barbuda government has declared superyacht Alfa Nero abandoned.
- It will be sold if not removed, an official statement last Tuesday said.
- Authorities intend to use the money to settle a $500,000 fuel bill owed to the Antigua Yacht Club Marina.
The Antigua and Barbuda government wants an abandoned $81 million superyacht out of its port.
in one Announcement on March 21st The Caribbean nation’s government declared the ship “abandoned” and said it intends to sell it unless it is removed to settle money it owes for food and fuel.
Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said March 20 that his government had received bids in excess of $50 million for the 267-foot yacht daily observer, a local media company. Called Alfa Nero, the yacht features a gym, hair salon and infinity pool.
The US Treasury Department previously linked the Alfa Nero Super with Russian oligarch Andrey Guryev, who is a “close associate” of Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the ministry. Guryev – the founder of the fertilizer company PhosAgro and has a Net worth of $10.1 billion – has been sanctioned from the US, the UNITED KINGDOM, and the EU for his ties to the Kremlin in the midst of the Ukraine war.
On Tuesday, a legal representative of Guryev said Bloomberg that the ship does not belong to the tycoon.
“As we have informed Antiguan authorities, Mr. Guryev does not own or control the Alfa Nero, nor has he used the ship on a commercial charter from time to time since 2014,” the representative said, per Bloomberg.
No more money to feed his crew
With a hefty bill to pay for the luxury ship, Antigua and Barbuda authorities still plan to sell it if no one claims ownership by March 31, Bloomberg reported, citing Antigua’s port manager.
Authorities intend to use the proceeds of the yacht’s sale to pay off a $500,000 debt it owes to the Antigua Yacht Club Marina for fuel, according to the Daily Observer. The remainder is to be used for the development of Antigua and Barbuda.
Browne said in a Facebook post of March 16 that the ship was also running out of money to feed its crew. It has been in the Caribbean nation for more than 18 months, he said.
The yacht also poses a risk to the port of Antigua, Browne told the Daily Observer.
“Anything could go wrong. Maybe some of the doors could open and start taking in water and it’ll sink,” Browne said. He added that the Alfa Nero could also be uninsured and this could cause problems for the port.
“We’re talking billions of dollars in assets in this port. And you can imagine what will happen if this ship catches fire,” Browne said, according to the Daily Observer.
Falmouth Harbour, where the Alfa Nero is moored, is a hub for luxury yachts.
Guryev did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment sent via PhosAgro.
March 28, 2023: This story has been updated to reflect comments from Guryev and the Antigua port manager.
Source : www.businessinsider.com