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The South African Government Just Let a Russian Oligarch Dock His $500 Million Megayacht

A spokesman for president cyril ramaphosa said the nation was under "no legal obligation" to comply with western sanctions., rachel cormack.

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After making waves on an international scale, Alexey Mordashov’s $500 million megayacht appears to have found safe haven in South Africa .

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Western authorities have imposed sanctions on more than 1,000 Russian individuals and businesses in response to President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. South Africa has so far avoided directly criticizing Russia and abstained from several UN votes condemning the war.

Mordashov—the largest shareholder in the steelmaker Severstal and the third-richest man in Russia—has been targeted by the Western sanctions due to his ties with Putin. The billionaire maintains he has had no involvement in Russian politics and has been fighting the sanctions since May.

Mordashov lost his 215-foot superyacht , Lady M , back in March after it was seized by Italian police. Nord is believed to be his biggest yacht asset, though. Indeed, the vessel, which is larger than a football field, features two helipads, a retractable hangar, a diving center, a swimming pool and 20 staterooms across six decks. It was delivered by German yard Lürssen in November 2020.

After leaving Hong Kong earlier this week, Nord is now en route to South Africa and is expected to moor in Cape Town on November 9, according to Marine Traffic data. The yacht was west of Indonesia as of Wednesday. You can track Nord ’s journey via Spire Maritime .

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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Sanctioned Russian Billionaire’s Superyacht ‘Cloudbreak’ Returns to Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront

Russian-owned ‘Cloudbreak’ superyacht docks in Cape Town amidst global sanctions on its owner.

Cape Town’s iconic V&A Waterfront is once again home to the Cloudbreak superyacht, valued at $120 million (R2.1 billion). Owned by Russian billionaire Alexander Alexandrovich Svetakov , the yacht has docked in the harbour despite the ongoing global sanctions placed on its owner.

Svetakov, a Russian property tycoon with a reported net worth of $2.5 billion, is a key figure in Russia’s business landscape. However, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Svetakov faced sanctions from the United States and the European Union. These sanctions are designed to limit the influence of Russian oligarchs by seizing assets like luxury yachts, jets, and real estate, but Cloudbreak has still managed to make its way to South African waters.

Cloudbreak : A Nautical Masterpiece

The 237-foot (72-meter) Cloudbreak is a work of art on the water, built by renowned shipbuilder Abeking & Rasmussen and delivered to Svetakov in 2016. The yacht is currently registered under the Cayman Islands flag and has made Cape Town its port of call multiple times over the years.

Equipped with an array of luxury features, including a helipad, spa, underwater lights, and a beach club, Cloudbreak offers an exclusive getaway experience. The yacht can accommodate up to 12 guests in six lavish cabins, with amenities like a fireplace, swimming pool, and jacuzzi. Charters for the vessel are available, starting at R1.4 million per week.

South Africa’s Position on Russian Vessels

Despite the international sanctions against Svetakov, Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront has no restrictions on the docking of Russian-owned vessels. Donald Kau, a spokesperson for the Waterfront, noted that South Africa, as a member of BRICS , has no national policy blocking Russian-owned yachts from entering local ports.

“Cloudbreak is on its second visit to the Waterfront’s port,” Kau commented. “South Africa has no restrictions on such vessels, and we welcome them as part of the growing number of superyachts visiting the destination.”

The Rising Popularity of Cape Town as a Superyacht Destination

Cape Town continues to be a magnet for superyacht owners, with the V&A Waterfront seeing an uptick in visiting luxury vessels. Kau attributed this increase to Cape Town’s international recognition, high-quality services, and the shift in maritime activity due to geopolitical tensions in regions like the Red Sea.

The Cloudbreak is not the only superyacht to attract attention in Cape Town. The Enigma XK , another sanctioned Russian vessel, spent several months at the Waterfront, sparking concerns from locals about its presence. Nevertheless, the yacht’s berth account has been kept up to date, and the vessel is scheduled for maintenance in January.

The return of Cloudbreak to Cape Town highlights the ongoing global conversation surrounding sanctioned Russian oligarchs and their luxury assets. While the yacht’s visit is legal under South African law, it raises questions about the continued presence of sanctioned superyachts in global waters. As Cape Town remains a popular destination for such vessels, it will be interesting to see how the international community responds to the ongoing conflict and its impact on global maritime activities.

For now, Cloudbreak continues to gleam under the Cape Town sun, a symbol of luxury amidst the geopolitical storm.

Also read: Ramaphosa Pledges Stronger US Ties Amid Trump Threats to BRICS+ Countries

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Home » SA will now allow Russian oligarch’s yacht to dock in Cape Town

SA will now allow Russian oligarch’s yacht to dock in Cape Town

City of Cape Town Mayor had pleaded with DIRCO Minister Naledi Pandor to block the entry of the Russian oligarch’s R9 billion yacht.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has confirmed that South Africa will allow the yacht owned by Russian tycoon Alexey Mordashov to dock in Cape Town on Thursday, 27 October.

This, after City of Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis had written to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Minister Naledi Pandor seeking to block the yacht.

RUSSIAN YACHT WILL BE ALLOWED TO DOCK IN CAPE TOWN

The R9 billion superyacht belonging to Russian oligarch Alexe Mordashov departed Hong Kong last week, bound for Cape Town. It is believed that Mordashov is aboard the vessel and intends to enter South Africa through the port of Cape Town.

Mordashov is reportedly chairman of the company Severgroup, which is a major shareholder of Bank Rossiya, of which he personally owns a considerable share and is the main shareholder and chairman of Severstal, Russia’s biggest steel company.

In his letter, Hill-Lewis said South Africa has a moral duty to do what it can to protest unjust war, state terrorism, and the gross violation of human rights saying the country ought to stand up against expansionist imperialism wherever it rears its ugly head. This is especially so, in light of the South Africa’s own painful history of imperialism.

Hill-Lewis said the international community has recognised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its annexation of four areas of Ukrainian territory by force as illegal.

“Clear evidence exists for war crimes and crimes against humanity having been committed by the Russian state against the Ukrainian people, including deliberate attacks against civilian targets, massacres of civilians, torture, and the rape of women and children. Many thousands of people have died and many more have had their homes destroyed and lives torn apart,” he said.

Magwenya said there is no reason to prevent the entry of individuals who abide by the country’s immigration.

“South African obligations with respect to sanctions relate to only those specifically adopted by the United Nations. Currently there are no UN imposed sanctions on the particular individual, therefore South Africa has no legal obligation to abide by sanctions that the US and EU have decided to impose within specific jurisdictions,” Magwenya said.

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South Africa to let Russian billionaire's superyacht dock

South Africa

Cape Town port is ideally suited to host a $500 million superyacht linked to sanctioned Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov, a South African official said Wednesday after the country announced its intention to let the vessel dock there despite a bid by the city's mayor to block its entry.

The South African government made the announcement Tuesday amid claims that steel and mining magnate Alexey Mordashov is seeking a new harbor to shield the superyacht from seizure.

The official said Cape Town was perfect for the Nord because it has the technical means to maintain luxury yachts that many other harbors don't.

"If you're parking a $500-million asset, you need it looked after properly," the official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he's not permitted to speak publicly on the issue.

Vincent Magwenya, the spokesman for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, said Tuesday that there was "no reason" for South Africa to deny the Nord entry as Mordashov wasn't the subject of United Nations sanctions, only sanctions imposed unilaterally by the United States and the European Union.

The Nord, which left Hong Kong on a journey across the Indian Ocean to South Africa last week, would be allowed to dock in Cape Town harbor as long as those on board "abide by our immigration laws," Magwenya said.

Mordashov is not believed to be on board the yacht.

"Currently there are no U.N.-imposed sanctions on the particular individual and therefore South Africa has no legal obligation to abide by the sanctions that the U.S. and the EU have decided to impose within specific jurisdictions," Magwenya told reporters in the South African capital, Pretoria.

Mordashov is thought to have close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and was sanctioned by the U.S. and the EU because of the war in Ukraine. He is the main shareholder and chairman of Severstal, Russia's largest steel and mining company, and one of Russia's richest men, with a net worth of over $20 billion, according to Bloomberg's Billionaire's Index.

Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said Mordashov has benefited financially from the war in Ukraine and is "an accomplice to the unconscionable crimes committed against Ukrainian civilians." Hill-Lewis had asked the South African government to block the Nord from docking, eliciting the response from President Ramaphosa's spokesman.

South Africa has adopted a neutral stance on the war in Ukraine, frustrating Western partners who had hoped that Africa's most developed economy would also condemn Russia's invasion and act as a leading voice for the continent. South Africa abstained from a U.N. vote condemning Russia's actions and called, instead, for dialogue and diplomacy.

Hill-Lewis is a member of South Africa's main opposition party, which has been fiercely critical of the neutral stance taken by Ramaphosa's government.

"It must be said that, so far, our country's foreign policy conduct in relation to Russia's illegal, imperialist war has been nothing less than shameful," Hill-Lewis said.

The Nord flies a Russian flag, is 141.6 meters (465 feet) long, and has two helipads, a swimming pool, and 20 cabins. It sailed out of Hong Kong after the U.S. accused that city of operating as a safe haven for sanctioned persons. It is expected to arrive in Cape Town on Nov. 9, according to the Marine Traffic shipping website.

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Cape Town-Headed Russian Oligarch Superyacht Vanishes

09 nov 2022 by jasmine stone in cape town , lifestyle , politics , russia , south africa.

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[imagesource: Lam Yik / Bloomberg]

The 141-metre Nord superyacht, which was sanctioned by the EU, the UK, and US after Russia decided to invade Ukraine, was due to dock in Cape Town Harbour today after setting sail from Hong Kong.

Despite the best efforts of Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, the South African government gave the all-clear for the R9 billion behemoth, owned by Russian Alexey Mordashov , to pull in.

You’re unlikely to see an ANC welcoming party at the harbour, however, because Nord appears to have vanished into thin air.

Business Insider SA first broke the news:

The plan was to arrive in the city on Wednesday, but it is unclear where the yacht is now. By mid-morning on Tuesday, the Transnet Port Authority told Business Insider South Africa, it had not yet received any written berthing request from the Nord. And by Monday afternoon, the Waterfront Marina had not received an application for the vessel to take up a berth there.

In order to dock, vessels are required to submit a berthing request 72 hours before the estimated time of arrival.

On October 26, Nord went ‘dark’ – meaning it turned off its location transponders – while in Indonesia.

Because of this, the yacht cannot be tracked by any of the numerous online vessel tracking services and there is no information available regarding its voyage.

Those who want to know more have had to rely on unverified scraps of information, such as a possible sighting last week off the coast of the Maldives.

The 142m long, five-deck beast might already be in South African waters, but without the AIS info we just don’t know for sure. We don’t even know if the original AIS [automatic identification systems] information that indicated that Cape Town was the destination was not fake, because it was not confirmed by anyone.

Maybe we’ve all been duped and Cape Town was thrown out as a red herring.

Either way, the fact that nobody can seem to locate a 141-metre superyacht seems more than a little odd.

[source: businsider ]

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CAPE TOWN FOR CAPETONIANS

Mayor warns of repercussions- war continues as SA says yes to Russian yacht

There is no reason to apply sanctions brought against Russian tycoon Alexey Mordashov and his $500 million (R9.1 billion) superyacht is free to dock at Cape Town’s ports, government said on Wednesday.

This is according to Vincent Magwenya, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesman, as the city awaits the arrival of the oligarch’s vessel.

Mordashov, the biggest shareholder in steelmaker Severstal PJSC, was sanctioned by the European Union, the UK and US but not the United Nations after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Also read: Mayor says no to Mordashov’s yacht docking in Cape Town

His 142m superyacht left Hong Kong on Thursday and is expected to arrive in Cape Town on November 9 after passing North of Banda Aceh, Indonesia on Tuesday, according to tracking data .

“South Africa has no legal obligation to abide by sanctions imposed by the US and EU,” Magwenya told reporters in Pretoria. “We have no reason to prevent their entry into South Africa.”

“South Africa’s obligations, with respect to sanctions, relate only to those that are specifically adopted by the United Nations,” he added. “Currently there are no UN-imposed sanctions on the particular individual.”

Over the weekend, Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, and Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde, called for the billionaire with ties to Vladmir Putin’s yacht to be denied entry to Cape Town Harbors. 

“Cape Town and the Western Cape cannot become a safe haven for Putin’s oligarchs.” the premier said. “They cannot be welcomed here.”

” South Africa must now show some backbone and stand up for the principles in our own constitution.”

On Saturday, Hill-Lewis  tweeted: “South Africa should not be offering sanctuary to sanctioned Russian oligarchs.

“We call on @DIRCO_ZA to uphold international sanctions and deny the yacht entry. Putin’s war accomplices are not welcome in Cape Town.”

Hill-Lewis  tweeted on Wednesday: “The President who never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity. I’m sure those weighing up whether to grey list South Africa are taking note. We face grey-listing because of our lax approach to money launderers and racketeers, now we can add sanction-dodgers too.”

The President who never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity. I’m sure those weighing up whether to grey list South Africa are taking note. We face grey-listing because of our lax approach to money launderers and racketeers, now we can add sanction-dodgers too. https://t.co/FBtRBEGyDx — Geordin Hill-Lewis (@geordinhl) October 26, 2022

Also read: Video: inside Mordashov’s megayacht en route to Cape Town

Video: inside Mordashov’s megayacht en route to Cape Town

Picture: screenshot / newsvlru

Article written by Murray Swart

CapeTownETC

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