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Roman Abramovich’s Yacht Fleet Past & Present

Say what you want about the elite, but you can’t help but marvel and low-key admire their spending habits when it comes to luxury toys. While Roman Abramovich might only be Russia’s 12th richest man (with a net worth of 9.8 billion USD), he’s undoubtedly the one you’ve heard the most about.

A fortune that began with a toy doll company, Abramovich and his now ex-wife used its success as a catalyst to world domination through everything from oil to consumer goods.

Among his arsenal of past and present superyachts, the billionaire tycoon also owns a private Boeing 767 and Gulfstream G650, while his ex-wife Irina took the Dassault Falcon 900 during their divorce settlement.

The pricetags below of these Roman Abramovich yachts – past and present – are in Australian dollars.

A Complete List of Roman Abramovich’s Yachts

Sussurro – $146 million.

Rumour has it that Sussurro is now owned by his ex-wife by way of a divorce settlement, and is rarely used regardless as it is almost always docked in Antibes.

ECSTASEA – $154 MILLION

Ecstasea is one of the fastest large yachts around, with an impressive 43,000 horsepower at a length of 86 metres.

LUNA – $386 MILLION

This 115-metre monstrosity boasts dual helipads and was built by Lloyd Werft at Stahlbau Nord Shipyards. The world’s second largest expedition yacht, the LUNA was sold to Abramovich’s friend and Azerbaijani billionaire Farkhad Akhmedov for 240 million Euro in 2014.

PELORUS – $386 MILLION

Clocking in at the same length and a very similar price tag, the Pelorus was built in 2003 by Lurssen and was briefly owned by a Saudi businessman before being sold to Abramovich the year after.

Optimised for long distance cruising, the Pelorus is without a doubt the sleekest of the tycoon’s line-up, with this vessel capable of 6000 nautical miles at 16 knots in a single voyage. Pelorus is now owned by Hong Kong businessman Samuel Tak Lee.

ECLIPSE – $643 MILLION

There’s no way Roman Abramovich could part from his flagship superyacht and the world’s largest by length at 163.5 metres. Known as the 1.5 billion dollar superyacht, Eclipse’s original cost price was realistically no more than 500 million USD.

Built in total secrecy by Blohm + Voss of Hamburg to custom request from Roman, Eclipse sports bulletproof windows, an advanced missile detection system and a provision to escape via submarine located at the bottom end of the yacht. Bond villain gadgets aside, its other amenities are things such as dual swimming pools and 20 jet skis.

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How many yachts does Roman Abramovich own?

Roman Abramovich owns five yachts named Sussurro, Ecstasea, Luna, Pelorus, and Eclipse

How much are Roman Abramovich's yachts worth?

Roman Abramovich’s yachts are worth $1.7 billion

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Roman Abramovich’s Yachts: Everything You Want To Know

You may be familiar with the jet setting lifestyle of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, owner of the Chelsea football club, who has an estimated net worth of over $8 billion. He’s not just rich, he’s a man who loves yachts and loves them a lot. Not only does he own the Eclipse, the most expensive yacht in the world, he owns 15 other yachts that we know of. Clearly this is a man who enjoys ship life. Other Russian oligarchs like private jets, Abramovich likes private boats.

Up until 2023 it was believed Abramovich owned a mere 6 vessels, but new information bumps that number up significantly. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable examples of the vessels in the fleet and what we know about them.

The Eclipse Yacht

Roman Abramovich has the distinction of owning the most expensive yacht in the world, the Eclipse. It was built in Hamburg by Blohm and Voss in 2010 and was recently seen in Turkey where it is likely avoiding international sanctions against Russian billionaires which would confiscate the vessel.

How Expensive is the Roman Abramovich Yacht Eclipse?

The superyacht Eclipse is obviously the flagship of Abramovich’s fleet and it’s believed the initial construction price was $427 million. Though that’s obviously very expensive it wouldn’t technically make this the most expensive yacht in the world. However, rumor has it that Abramovich had custom additions put on the yacht including a security system fit for a small army, which boosted the total cost to $1.5 billion.

How Big is the Eclipse Yacht

For some years, the Eclipse was the world’s largest yacht at 533-feet. Other yachts have since surpassed that length but obviously it’s still an absolutely enormous vessel. It has a gross tonnage of 13,000 GT and a beam of just over 72 feet. It is the largest vessel Abramovich owns.

How Fast is the Eclipse Yacht?

It’s believed the Eclipse has a top speed of about 22 knots. This is provided by four MTU 20V 1163 TB93 diesel engines.

What is the Eclipse Like on the Inside?

The interior of the Eclipse is well guarded and not many people have been on board. That said, there are some things we do know about the vessel and what Abramovich has had installed. To start with, the yacht has not one but two helicopter landing pads. It also has its own mini submersible and previously it had been reported that there were 3 landing boats but now we know that he has 8 support vessels of various kinds for the yacht.

There are quarters to house as many as 70 crew members making this yacht essentially a private cruise ship in terms of staffing and amenities. There is room for 36 guests as well.

It is rumored that the yacht has two swimming pools on board including one that is nearly 50 feet long, plus several hot tubs scattered throughout. The large pool has a retractable glass sunroof. The 18 guest rooms are said to contain full home 6-foot cinema screens for private viewings. For a group experience, the bow of the ship is also a cinema with a massive screen. Each guest room, of which there are 24, has its own jacuzzi and private security system.

There are spas on board and a disco as well, and unusual amenities like a full size pantry and gullwing doors that pull up to reveal a barbecue and pizza oven. The yacht’s guests can also enjoy an 830 square foot gym, massage room, beauty salon, beach club, sauna and portholes that offer a view inside the large pool. There’s even a wood-burning fire pit on the main deck for campfires. 

The ceiling in the 5,000 square foot master suite opens like a retractable dome in a sports stadium to give passengers a view of the night sky if they so desire.

The security on Eclipse is one of the things that gets talked about a lot and what is known about it is impressive. To start, the glass is all bulletproof. The hull is armor plated to prevent damage from direct attacks. There is an anti-paparazzi system installed which prevents digital cameras from taking photos when they’re aimed at the vessel, which is why you’ll see so few photos of it when it’s in use. Finally, there’s a sophisticated missile detection system that is able to detect missile attacks and launch its own counter attacks. So, yes, this yacht apparently has missile launchers on board, something usually reserved for military vessels.

What Other Yachts or Launch Boats Does Abramovich Own?

Journalists recently discovered that the Russian billionaire owns 16 yachts , about 10 more than previously known. Eight of these vessels are support ships for the Eclipse which was previously thought to just have three launch boats as support. These are the remaining 7.

The second most expensive yacht in Abramovich’s fleet, Solaris is 458 feet long, 11,011 tons and had a reported price tag of $475 million. Other sources say this is actually a $600 million vessel. It has room for 36 passengers in 18 cabins as well as crew quarters to handle up to 60 crew members at a time. These are just estimates based on the size and design of the yacht, however, as Abramovich is notoriously private when it comes to secure matters like these. This large yacht may have swimming pools inside and other amenities but little has been published in any yacht report about those features.

The top speed of the yacht is listed at 18 to 20 knots with a cruising speed of 14 knots and it features not just a pool but a helicopter landing pad on deck. Propulsion is provided by the largest ABB Azipod propulsion package ever used in a private yacht.

It’s said to contain over 2,000 square meters of glass including the largest panes ever used in a superyacht. 

The yacht, at last report, was moored in Turkey where it is not subject to international sanctions that have been levied against the Russian oligarch.

This would be Abramovich’s third most expensive yacht coming in at $38 million and 180 feet long. Designed by Amels, it is sometimes available for charter and can house 12 guests and 13 crew in its quarters. The yacht has a top speed of 15.5 knots and a range of 4,500 nautical miles The cruising speed is 13 knots.

The Garcon is actually larger than the Halo but costs less. It reportedly had a $20 million price tag but clocked in at 220 feet. Made by Damen Yachting, this is sometimes used as a support vessel as it was by its previous owner. It has space for 21 people in total.

The Garcon is a much faster yacht than some of its size, powered by 4 Caterpillar engines, that can reach 25 knots at full throttle. Normal cruising speed is 18 knots.

This is a $1 million Bluegame yacht that measures just a fraction of his larger boats, coming in at 40 feet.

Little is known about this particular yacht other than it measures 80 feet and was reported to have cost Abramovich $3 million.

This 162-foot, $11 million yacht has been moored in La Ciotat on the French Riviera since 2022. It was built in 1998 and features a 27.5 foot beam.  The vessel is powered by Paxman + Textron engines which produce 3442 hp each giving Sussurro a maximum speed of 46 knots and a cruising speed of 20 knots making it one of the fastest yachts of its size in the world.

Moored in the Netherlands, this yacht measures 164-foot and reportedly cost $30 million. Powered by MTU diesel engines the vessel has a top speed of 23 knots. There is room on board for 12 guests in 5 staterooms, as well as a crew of 9.

The Bottom Line

Roman Abramovich owns the world’s most expensive yacht, the Eclipse, as well as many other yachts that, until recently, were hidden assets. Because of international sanctions against Russian oligarchs due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many of his yachts are subject to seizure in various countries so ownership of them was hard to determine. Even now it’s speculated he may own many others.

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Roman Abramovich’s $1bn five-yacht fleet revealed

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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich owns or is linked to a collection of five yachts estimated to be worth almost $1bn, including several vessels whose ownership remained secret until this week.

A Financial Times investigation into the billionaire’s assets has lifted the veil of secrecy he maintains over his wealth, even after the UK and EU imposed sanctions on him following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for his allegedly close relationship with President Vladimir Putin.

Authorities in the UK and EU are attempting to identify all of the assets owned by sanctioned oligarchs. Abramovich was already widely reported to be the owner of Solaris and Eclipse — worth $474mn and $437mn, respectively, according to yacht data service VesselsValue. But the FT revealed this week that he also owns Halo and Garçon, which are both moored in Antigua.

The Antiguan government was unaware of the ownership of the boats docked on the island before inquiries from the FT, highlighting the scale of the challenge UK and EU authorities face in enforcing sanctions.

Tom Keatinge, director of the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute think-tank said governments, banks and other institutions trying to enforce sanctions had to navigate a world where “ownership trails run cold and morph into a haze of front companies, nominees and cut-outs”.

Halo and Garçon are valued at $38mn and $20mn, respectively, and are now at risk of being seized.

In a letter to the British high commissioner to Barbados regarding the yachts, Antiguan minister of foreign affairs Paul Chet Greene said the island would “provide full assistance to the government of the United Kingdom” if it receives a request under the two nations’ Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.

The letter noted that Antigua had requested information on the company that owns the two boats — British Virgin Islands-registered Wenham Overseas Limited — after “persistent allegations by the Financial Times that the vessels could be owned by Mr Roman Abramovich”.

In response, the British high commission provided Antiguan authorities with a letter, seen by the FT, “from the Financial Investigation Agency of the British Virgin Islands which states the beneficial owner of Wenham Overseas Ltd is Roman Abramovich”.

The letter also shows the billionaire’s address in Switzerland is listed simply as “Immeuble, Gatzby Le Magnifique”, which translates as “The Great Gatsby Building”.

Keatinge described the UK’s ability to demand full ownership information of companies registered in any of its overseas territories or crown dependencies as its “most powerful global weapon” in combating financial secrecy.

However, he asked: “How much is that weapon being used?”

A person with knowledge of Abramovich’s boat collection and documents seen by the FT indicate that the oligarch may also still be the owner of Sussurro, the first yacht he bought in 1998, despite reports he had given it to an ex-wife in a divorce.

The person who correctly identified the two yachts in Antigua as belonging to Abramovich told the FT the oligarch still owned Sussurro.

The vessel’s owner is listed in maritime registers as Vesuvius International Limited in the British Virgin Islands. BVI documents show this company was deregistered there in 2017. Another Vesuvius International was registered in Jersey the same year.

The owner of Jersey-based Vesuvius International is listed as Wotton Overseas Holdings Limited. This entity — which shifted from the BVI to Jersey in 2017 — is also the owner through a subsidiary of a helicopter that has been photographed landing on Abramovich’s Solaris several times.

Maritime tracking services show Sussurro, which means “whisper” in Italian and is valued at $11mn, is moored in La Ciotat in the south of France — the same port where the French government last month seized a $116mn superyacht belonging to a company tied to Igor Sechin, head of Russian oil group Rosneft.

Sussurro’s management company is Blue Ocean Management, a Cyprus-based company that also manages Le Grand Bleu, a 113-metre superyacht that Abramovich reportedly gave to his business associate Eugene Shvidler.

The UK placed Shvidler under sanctions last week.

The letter from the BVI’s financial investigation agency to its British counterparts also reveals that the owner of Le Grand Blue — Ashchurch Holdings Limited — is owned by “Zarui Shvidler”. Shvidler’s wife is commonly known as Zara Shvidler.

VesselsValue pegged Le Grand Bleu’s market value in a range of $110mn-$130mn, noting that the boat had last been tracked this week in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Puerto Rico.

Representatives for Abramovich and Shvidler did not respond to requests for comment.

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Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich’s Two Superyachts Are Sailing Towards Each Other in the Mediterranean

Ship tracking platforms show that the billionaire’s yachts "eclipse" and "solaris" are relocating to the mediterranean, with no port destination specified., emma reynolds, emma reynolds's most recent stories.

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Russian oligarch and billionaire Roman Abramovich is on the move—and so are his superyachts.

After being slapped with sanctions in response to Russia ’s invasion of Ukraine, the billionaire was last seen on March 14 at an airport in Israel, where he has dual citizenship, according to Reuters .

Abramovich, who is currently worth an estimated $7.1 billion, according to Forbes , appears to be moving his yachts to safer waters. His 533-foot superyacht Eclipse , normally anchored year-round in the Caribbean, has been sailing east towards the Mediterranean since February 21, according to global ship tracking platform MarineTraffic. As of Wednesday, the ship is located off the coast of Algeria and is still sailing east with no port destination specified. The yacht, estimated to be worth over $600 million, is one of the largest and most expensive in the world , and seems to be cruising towards Abramovich’s other yacht, Solaris , in the Ionian Sea.

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Roman Abramovich’s “Solaris” superyacht.  Courtesy of Lloyd Werft

The 461-foot Solaris  is currently located in the Ionian Sea off the western coast of Greece and heading south. Solaris was most recently at a port in Barcelona, where it had reportedly been receiving repairs since late 2021 . The ship left without declaring a destination. However, it’s possible both Solaris and Eclipse are heading towards each other and are even eyeing ports in Israel where Abramovich is considered safe from sanctions.

Though a long-time ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Abramovich has denied having close ties to the Kremlin. This hasn’t stopped dozens of nations, including the US, UK and several EU countries, from implementing sanctions and asset freezes on the oligarch. The sanctions are part of a concerted multinational effort to pressure Russia’s wealthiest and most powerful individuals to help bring Russia’s war on Ukraine to an end.

Perhaps sensing the economic pressures to come, Abramovich made headlines just days after the Ukraine invasion for stating his intention to sell his beloved Chelsea Football Club in London for $2.5 billion. The billionaire said all proceeds would benefit Ukrainian refugees and “victims of the war,” which, notably, may also include Russian soldiers.

Russian oligarch and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich appears to be seeking cover from international sanctions in Israel, where he has dual citizenship.  Associated Press

Russians own up to 10 percent of the world’s megayachts, so Abramovich is just one of many Russian billionaires who are moving their assets to avoid seizure by international authorities. This week, Italian police seized Russian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko’s 486-foot Sailing Yacht A, and earlier this month, France impounded the yacht Amore Vero , owned by Russian oil billionaire Igor Sechin. Other Russian billionaires have had their yachts impounded in other EU countries.

This isn’t the first time Russian oligarchs’ whereabouts have been made public. Florida teen Jack Sweeney, who once tracked Elon Musk’s jet, created a Twitter account —@RUOligarchJets—dedicated to tracking the private jets of Russian oligarchs, which is updated daily.

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SOLARIS Yacht – Exquisite $600M Superyacht

The SOLARIS yacht was newly launched in 2021 by Lloyd Werft.

At 139.7 meters (458 ft), SOLARIS is considered an absolute giant in the world of superyachts and ranks as the 15th largest in the world.

SOLARIS yacht interior

No official photos of the interior of the SOLARIS yacht have been released, so the exact design is unknown.

However, judging from the minimalist and modern layout of the decks, it can be assumed that the interior follows a similar trend.

The German designer Frank Neubelt is said to have worked on the interior of SOLARIS, although details of the project are unknown.

The yacht is one of the largest in the world, so it comes as no surprise that the SOLARIS yacht can accommodate an impressive 36 guests onboard.

Around 60 crew members find space in the cabins below deck and are available to tend to every need of the passengers.

The yacht also features a large gym, spa, and several salons to host events and welcome guests.

MY SOLARIS Specifications

MY SOLARIS was built in 2021 by the German shipyard Lloyd Werft and became the largest vessel they had ever delivered.

The total length of the yacht is 139.7 meters (458 ft) which makes her 23 meters (75 ft) shorter than Abramovic’s other famous yacht, ECLIPSE.

Her beam is 21.35 meters (70 ft), and her draft measures 5.95 meters (19.6 ft). Her total weight lies at 11,247 tons.

The SOLARIS yacht is powered by six MTU engines which allow her to travel at an average cruise speed of 18 knots with top speeds of 20 knots.

SOLARIS yacht exterior

The exterior of MY SOLARIS was designed by Marc Newson Ltd , an Australian industrial designer who has worked in several industries, including aircraft, furniture, and clothing.

His work is easily recognizable by smooth lines and rounded shapes with geometric elements.

The SOLARIS yacht is a prime example of this with its sleek look, rounded balconies, and many windows. Her eight decks have an unusually light wood that decorates the many open spaces of the vessel.

There are several extendable platforms to release tenders and toys and a large beach club located close to the swimming platform.

Of course, SOLARIS includes a full-size helipad as well as several swimming pools, one of which is located on the largest of the decks aft of the vessel.

SOLARIS yacht price

Yacht SOLARIS was delivered to Abramovic for a reported price of US $600 million, placing her among the most expensive superyachts in the world.

She generates a further US $50 – $60 million in annual running costs.

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Roman Abramovich’s $1bn five-yacht fleet revealed

• Roman Abramovich’s $1bn five-yacht fleet revealed on x (opens in a new window)
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Robert Smith , Cynthia O’Murchu and Arash Massoudi in London and Max Seddon in Riga

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich owns or is linked to a collection of five yachts estimated to be worth almost $1bn, including several vessels whose ownership remained secret until this week.

A Financial Times investigation into the billionaire’s assets has lifted the veil of secrecy he maintains over his wealth, even after the UK and EU imposed sanctions on him following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for his allegedly close relationship with President Vladimir Putin.

Authorities in the UK and EU are attempting to identify all of the assets owned by sanctioned oligarchs. Abramovich was already widely reported to be the owner of Solaris and Eclipse — worth $474mn and $437mn, respectively, according to yacht data service VesselsValue. But the FT revealed this week that he also owns Halo and Garçon, which are both moored in Antigua.

The Antiguan government was unaware of the ownership of the boats docked on the island before inquiries from the FT, highlighting the scale of the challenge UK and EU authorities face in enforcing sanctions.

Tom Keatinge, director of the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute think-tank said governments, banks and other institutions trying to enforce sanctions had to navigate a world where “ownership trails run cold and morph into a haze of front companies, nominees and cut-outs”.

Halo and Garçon are valued at $38mn and $20mn, respectively, and are now at risk of being seized.

In a letter to the British high commissioner to Barbados regarding the yachts, Antiguan minister of foreign affairs Paul Chet Greene said the island would “provide full assistance to the government of the United Kingdom” if it receives a request under the two nations’ Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.

The letter noted that Antigua had requested information on the company that owns the two boats — British Virgin Islands-registered Wenham Overseas Limited — after “persistent allegations by the Financial Times that the vessels could be owned by Mr Roman Abramovich”.

In response, the British high commission provided Antiguan authorities with a letter, seen by the FT, “from the Financial Investigation Agency of the British Virgin Islands which states the beneficial owner of Wenham Overseas Ltd is Roman Abramovich”.

The letter also shows the billionaire’s address in Switzerland is listed simply as “Immeuble, Gatzby Le Magnifique”, which translates as “The Great Gatsby Building”.

Keatinge described the UK’s ability to demand full ownership information of companies registered in any of its overseas territories or crown dependencies as its “most powerful global weapon” in combating financial secrecy.

However, he asked: “How much is that weapon being used?”

A person with knowledge of Abramovich’s boat collection and documents seen by the FT indicate that the oligarch may also still be the owner of Sussurro, the first yacht he bought in 1998, despite reports he had given it to an ex-wife in a divorce.

The person who correctly identified the two yachts in Antigua as belonging to Abramovich told the FT the oligarch still owned Sussurro.

The vessel’s owner is listed in maritime registers as Vesuvius International Limited in the British Virgin Islands. BVI documents show this company was deregistered there in 2017. Another Vesuvius International was registered in Jersey the same year.

The owner of Jersey-based Vesuvius International is listed as Wotton Overseas Holdings Limited. This entity — which shifted from the BVI to Jersey in 2017 — is also the owner through a subsidiary of a helicopter that has been photographed landing on Abramovich’s Solaris several times.

Maritime tracking services show Sussurro, which means “whisper” in Italian and is valued at $11mn, is moored in La Ciotat in the south of France — the same port where the French government last month seized a $116mn superyacht belonging to a company tied to Igor Sechin, head of Russian oil group Rosneft.

Sussurro’s management company is Blue Ocean Management, a Cyprus-based company that also manages Le Grand Bleu, a 113-metre superyacht that Abramovich reportedly gave to his business associate Eugene Shvidler.

The UK placed Shvidler under sanctions last week.

The letter from the BVI’s financial investigation agency to its British counterparts also reveals that the owner of Le Grand Blue — Ashchurch Holdings Limited — is owned by “Zarui Shvidler”. Shvidler’s wife is commonly known as Zara Shvidler.

VesselsValue pegged Le Grand Bleu’s market value in a range of $110mn-$130mn, noting that the boat had last been tracked this week in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Puerto Rico.

Representatives for Abramovich and Shvidler did not respond to requests for comment.

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16 superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs

Western sanctions over moscow's invasion of ukraine led to many luxury vessels being detained in europe.

March 23, 2022

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Take a closer look at Russian oligarch's $700 million superyacht that is one of the largest in the world

• Roman Abramovich had seemingly scrambled to avoid sanctions from the UK by moving his superyachts.
• One of those is The Eclipse, which cost $700 million to build and was once the biggest in the world.
• That yacht was once in New York City and we took some photos.

Like other Russian oligarchs, Roman Abramovich had seemingly scrambled to avoid sanctions and that included quickly moving his superyachts to more friendly waters.

Many of the 55-year-old billionaire's assets — such as the Chelsea Football Club and several homes — have been sold or frozen since Russia launched an unprovoked war on Ukraine, Bloomberg reported . 

While Abramovich couldn't move the Premier League football club Chelsea FC and sold the $3 billion club , his yachts are another matter. 

Abramovich's 553-foot-long flagship is The Eclipse, estimated to have cost $700 million when built. After sanctions were initially dropped by the UK against Abramovich, his second "smaller" $600 million superyacht, Solaris, left Barcelona, Spain, and moved to friendlier waters in Turkey.

Solaris was joined in Turkey by The Eclipse, which arrived from the Caribbean .

While the superyacht Eclipse was photographed in Turkish waters in early August , it was once docked at Manhattan's Pier 90, and Robert Johnson was able to get some pictures. Take a tour of the superyacht below. 

Robert Johnson contributed to this post.

Just south of this public parking lot on the roof of the Pier 90 terminal in New York City sat Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich's flagship yacht, the "Eclipse."

536-feet long and styled after military vessels.

The 2010 Eclipse cost $700 million and was the world's largest yacht when built.

The vessel has amenities to rival any ship on the sea — like its own mini submersible, perhaps similar to this— able to dive down 150-feet.

The Eclipse has two helipads.

Bulletproof glass and armor plates wrap the length of Roman's master suite and the bridge.

And a German-built missile defense system.

The ship's also supposed to have a laser defense against paparazzi trying to photograph the yacht's guests, but saw no evidence of the device when we were there.

The Eclipse has three launch boats.

That looked to be stocked with medical supplies and a variety of handheld radios.

From the cruise ship parking lot it felt like we were almost on the Eclipse itself.

But with little chance we'd be invited aboard through the ship's door here ...

... We hoped to find one of the 70 crew members required to sail the Eclipse and see if they'd tell us what ship life was like.

But we found no one interested in talking.

But we certainly didn't feel like paparazzi, or that we'd be lasered, when we were in the parking lot tourists use when they arrive to board their cruise.

From up here, the ship was simply stunning and the amount of work required to keep her that way apparent.

The Yacht Report says owning a superyacht costs about 20% of the ship's initial value every year.

But experts believe that Roman probably pays $75 million a year to run the private cruise ship with 24-guest suites.

Looking at the layout of the ship gets us talking about the two swimming pools inside, the disco, cinema, hair salon, and restaurant.

The billionaire's guests would use this door to enter any fore part of the deck.

Perhaps noting where the life rings were as they made their way about the ship.

At 13,000 gross tons, the Eclipse was, at the time, the largest vessel to use a special stabilization system to keep it calm in rough waters while anchored or moving slowly through the sea.

Roman faced a $150,000 tab for parking the Eclipse in New York City while possibly visiting his daughter and her new baby — about $2,000 a day.

A large yacht like the Eclipse can hold over 100,000 gallons of fuel.

Depending on the current price of fuel, a five-hour cruise each way could cost about $30,000.

None of those numbers are likely to concern Roman Abramovich, however, who has an estimated net worth of nearly $8 billion.

Source: Forbes

Here is some drone footage of the superyacht.

You can see interior photos of the luxury yacht at Boat International

Step on board the 162.5m Eclipse - the second largest superyacht in the world

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Shhh! Ohtani chase kept quiet by design

Blue jays stay tightlipped in pursuit, while dodgers manager admits to their meeting.

Keegan Matheson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Silence is golden and secrecy is sublime. 

Standing in the eye of the biggest, boldest pursuit in franchise history, the Blue Jays aren’t saying a word. Even the name “ Shohei Ohtani ” is spoken carefully, each syllable tiptoeing gently to the next. 

Don’t rock the boat. Don’t wake the baby.

The secrecy with which baseball’s brightest star lives his life has taken over his free agency, which is bubbling to a boil here at the Winter Meetings. Earlier this offseason, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that it would be “held against” potential suitors if news leaked that he’d visited a specific team.

Well, it’s happening.

Every good drama has a shocking confession, and this one came from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts on Tuesday afternoon, admitting that he and members of Los Angeles’ front office had met with Ohtani in recent days. It all went very well, the veteran manager thought, and besides, the news would get out eventually.

“Clearly,” Roberts said, “ Shohei is our top priority .”

This was a wailing siren through the silence, because even following reports that Ohtani had toured Toronto’s training facilities in Dunedin, Fla., over the weekend, the Blue Jays refused to give that fire any oxygen, instead letting it live as a detail and nothing more.

Soon after Roberts dropped that nugget, though, Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes stood before a throng of cameras -- less than 50 feet from Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins doing the same -- and struck a much different tone. Gomes acknowledged the comment made by his manager, said he was surprised that it was made and went no further. No comments on Ohtani, no comments on a meeting that may or may not have happened. 

That toothpaste isn’t going back in the tube.

Across the room, Atkins spoke vaguely, dancing in the shadows between questions. It’s the same approach he took Monday, when his in-person media availability was suddenly shifted to Zoom , where the GM was cryptic with details as he sat in front of a blank, white wall, refusing to answer where in the world he was. 

“Everything that we’re doing to make the team better, to the extent that we will keep private, we will do,” Atkins said. “Meetings that occur, don’t occur, I’m not going to get into the specifics of.”

It’s remarkable to watch this happen in real time, a big league GM sidestepping questions not as standard practice, but as an act of strategy that fans are suddenly praising. There’s an elephant in the room, but Atkins will not confirm whether elephants do or do not exist. 

“There’s an incredible amount of energy, an incredible amount of buzz around the game and around several potential opportunities, certainly one that is historic, potentially,” Atkins said.

Atkins is built for this game. He’s the Shohei Ohtani of secrecy.

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The Blue Jays’ GM went as far as saying that they are “fortunate to be one that’s being considered,” but offered no details about the reported visit to the club’s player development complex over the weekend.

Manager John Schneider did the same, saying “we meet with lots of players” and sticking to the script throughout his media availability. When a reporter joked that Schneider looked tanned when asking about his whereabouts and involvement in said meeting, Schneider just cracked another smile.

“I live in Florida,” he said.

The logic and logistics of it all point toward a decision coming soon from Ohtani. The Blue Jays and Dodgers are clearly among the front-runners here, and while it’s unclear what impact Roberts’ revelation and recent reports will have on Ohtani’s decision, these two clubs are clearly involved in the final sprint. Others, including the Giants, Cubs and Angels, have also widely been linked to this historic chase. 

When this news breaks, the landscape of Major League Baseball will tilt in an instant. Until then, it’s one of the biggest secrets in baseball history and the Blue Jays aren’t making a sound.