The mystery of who owns the superyacht Alfa Nero, which is docked in Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean, deepened after lawyers for Russian billionaire Andrey Guryev said their client did not own the ship, prompting the local government to take action Plans to continue putting up for auction.
The Caribbean country claims that the Alfa Nero an 81metre luxury yacht with seating for 12 and an infinity pool that converts into a helipad is owned by Guryev, a billionaire in the fertilizer industry who faces international sanctions. But the 62yearold London tycoon’s lawyers have reiterated that the ship does not belong to him.
“As we have informed Antigua authorities, Mr. Guryev does not own or control the Alfa Nero and has simply used the vessel on a commercial charter from time to time since 2014,” the Russian tycoon’s legal representative wrote.
Antigua Ports Manager Darwin Telemaque said Tuesday if no one can prove ownership of the Alfa Nero by March 31, he will be forced to put it up for auction. The luxury ship has been abandoned in the Caribbean country for over a year since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022.
2 of 4 The Alfa Nero swimming pool — Photo: Reproduction The Alfa Nero swimming pool — Photo: Reproduction 3 of 4 The interior of the 81 meter mega yacht — Photo: Reproduction The interior of the 81 meter mega yacht — Photo: Reproduction 4 of 4 The dining room in the Inside the ship — Photo: Reproduction The dining room inside the ship — Photo: Reproduction
“For more than a year,” the marina has been paying bills for heavy fuel oil, electricity and food for the crew of five, Telemaque added. The prime minister’s office considers the Alfa Nero an abandoned ship and says the bill has already exceeded $500,000.
Now the biggest concern is that the ship will be abandoned, disrupting traffic in Antigua’s busiest port, Telemaque said. The decision to put it up for sale aims to avoid future incidents due to lack of maintenance.
“Our yacht industry is our largest source of revenue for shipping, larger even than the cruise business. And we must take all possible measures to protect it and not allow the ship to become a burden on our country,” Telemaque said in a phone interview.
Guryev, who is worth $10.1 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, is the founder and largest shareholder of PhosAgro, one of Europe’s largest fertilizer companies. He is being sanctioned by the United States, Britain and the European Union for his ties to the Kremlin.
At the request of the United States, Antigua authorities searched the ship last year, an operation observed by the FBI.