On Monday, the European Union, which has been sanctioning Russian oligarchs, due to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, added Alisher Usmanov to its list. On Wednesday sources in the yacht industry said that his mega yacht might have been seized in Hamburg, in Germany.
Forbes reported that sources told them that Usmanov’s yacht Dilbar has been seized. It was not only one of the assets that gave him a lot of pride but was also named after his mother. It is a 512-foot yacht and is valued at roughly $600 million.
However, the Ministry for Economy and Innovation said that they have not seized the Dilbar. But, Forbes confirmed that the refitting work had been halted on Wednesday. The yacht is registered in the Cayman Islands and its owner is a holding company. It will be difficult to prove Usmanov as the owner, thereby putting sanctions on it. It could sanctioned “if the ownership situation is clarified.”
The ministry also noted that the German federal customs agency remains the “responsible enforcement authority.” The outlet said that the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Federal Customs Service have not as yet responded, when asked for comment.
Sources said that the mega sailing vessel had been in Blohm+Voss’ shipyards in Hamburg, Germany from about 5 months for a refitting job. They said that the German government might have frozen the super yacht and that was the probable reason why workers did not turn up to complete the ongoing work. It is still at the shipyard, according to the ministry.
On Thursday, when asked for comment by Forbes, a spokesperson for Lurssen the owner of Blohm+Voss declined to respond except to say that all orders and projects of the Lurssen Group and its subsidiaries were “treated in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations.”
On Tuesday, Usmanov spoke on the EU sanctions slapped on him in a statement to the International Fencing Federation. He said that he was stepping down as the president of the organization. He called the decision to impose sanctions on him “unfair.”
The billionaire added that the reasons that were given to justify the sanctions against him were a “set of false and defamatory allegations” that damaged his “honor, dignity and business reputation.” He said that he would use legal means to protect his “honor and reputation.”
Image Yacht: Wikimedia
Image Alisher Usmanov Wikimedia
