One of the Most Secretive Oligarch-Owned Superyachts Makes Another Baffling Move

Amadea, the superyacht that was seized by U.S. authorities after extensive hide-and-seek games, ended up that way after an infamous saga, where its range and technical performance were put to the test. Now, it looks like another ultra-luxurious yacht will match it or go even further.

Nord was already mysterious when the sanctions against Russia hit. It’s one of the newest among the “wanted” yachts, as it had been delivered just two years prior. Built by the prestigious Lurssen for the steel tycoon Alexey Mordashov, the 464-foot (141.5 meters) yacht was expected to be ultra-luxurious.

But all expectations were exceeded when local authorities in the Russian port of Vladivostok got on board - the walk-through video became viral. Said to be worth $500 million, this incredible floating palace boasts all the luxuries one can imagine. One of its most astonishing features is the garage packed not only with high-end water toys, including a Triton submarine, but also several black SUVs, quad bikes, and a custom hovercraft.

One of the designers that created this masterpiece, co-founder of the Nuvolari Lenard studio, described it as “a warship wearing a tuxedo.” Indeed, this pleasure craft with a striking metallic-tone hull looks more like a rugged ship but reveals the lavish amenities of a glamorous vacation yacht. As it followed a premonition, Nord was also equipped from the start for long-range travels to remote locations and self-sufficiency over a long period of time.

The Vladivostok moment happened earlier this year when everyone believed that Nord was one of the few that got away after arriving in this safe haven. At the time of the sanctions, it was chilling in an appropriate location – Seychelles, but then it quietly made its way to this modest port where superyachts never dock, which is why it caused such a stir.

After months of silence, instead of staying put in that safe location, the now-infamous Nord reemerged in an unexpected location, Hong Kong. It caused a stir here as well, with U.S. authorities and local officials allegedly having a dispute after Hong Kong did not reinforce the international sanctions. In fact, John Lee, Hong Kong's chief executive, stated that U.S. and EU sanctions are unilateral decisions, and therefore third parties have no legal reason to comply.

And the saga continued. On October 20, Nord suddenly left Hong Kong and started cruising towards another surprising destination. According to maritime tracking platforms, Nord is currently traveling to South Africa, another unusual destination for Russian vacation yachts. The available data shows that Nord is due to arrive in Cape Town by the beginning of November.

But why? That’s still a mystery, just like the yacht itself. According to Business Insider, South Africa could be considered a safe destination because it hasn’t officially sanctioned Russia, but it’s a very unusual choice compared to places such as Turkey, where numerous of the targeted yachts are currently docked.

Why would Mordashov’s vessel leave such a safe location to travel to Hong Kong, and then move again, heading towards South Africa? Is that the final destination? Only time will tell.


The 15th-largest yacht in the world right now, and owned by one of the top three richest men in Russia, Nord can’t stay elusive forever.