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Unbothered by Sanctions, Mining Billionaire’s Record-Breaking Speed Monster Hides Away

The fact that the floating luxury toys owned by sanctioned Russian oligarchs also happen to be some of the most impressive superyachts in the world only made the hunt for them even more thrilling for the public. While some of the most famous pleasure craft were either seized or running to prevent that, other stunning superyachts are chilling in luxurious locations, as discretely as always.
The record-breaking Predator boasts an incredible four-engine propulsion system 13 photos
Photo: Feadship
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The talk about the international sanctions against Russian oligarchs also brought to the forefront the inevitable question regarding why and how only some of these wealthy magnates were targeted. Iskander Makhmudov is one of the names that were infamously missing from the U.S. Treasury Department’s blacklist.

Owner of the Ural Mining giant company, this billionaire does have close ties to Kremlin, according to experts, and was even accused in a U.S. lawsuit, years back, together with the sanctioned Oleg Deripaska. However, he was mysteriously excluded from all sanctions lists. In an earlier article, Forbes discussed this issue, with experts stating that the reason is “a combination of political, economic and geostrategic considerations.”

What’s certain is that Makhmudov’s yacht also went dark, even though it was not targeted. According to maritime tracking platforms, it hasn’t communicated its whereabouts for months, and its last known location was somewhere between Turkey and Greece. But this superyacht can hardly go unnoticed. Built by Feadship in 2008, the 238-footer (73 meters) broke several records, boasting the tallest engine room, the largest draught, and the longest uninterrupted interior views.

Its most striking feature is the knife-shaped silhouette – it was Feadship’s first yacht with an ax-bow, highlighted by the unusual red, white, and blue color scheme. It boasts all the typical opulent amenities of a superyacht, but what makes it mind-blowing is the four-engine propulsion system, unprecedented at the time. This enables it to hit an incredible speed of over 28 knots (32 mph/51.8) which justifies its name.

It seems that the high speed achieved through conventional propulsion was the owner’s personal request. The Dutch engineers combined custom-made Rolls-Royce propellers with custom-made gearboxes from a German military contractor and four MTU engines. This incredible system could only be fit inside a split-level engine room, which the manufacturer aptly described as “a temple of technology.”

Most of the times however, Predator quietly cruises at 20 knots (23 mph/37 kph) using just two of its engines. With no sanctions threatening it, it shouldn't be in a hurry anyway.
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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
Otilia Drăgan profile photo

Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
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