What sets Aquamarine apart is that, until the day of the invasion of Ukraine, it belonged to Russia’s most famous businessman, Roman Abramovich, a Guardian investigation has revealed. On February 24, ownership of the yacht passed from a company previously controlled by Abramovich to a close associate, Russian businessman David Davidovich. The Aquamarine is the fifth yacht recently linked to Abramovich, who has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom and the European Union over his alleged relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Its fleet includes two megayachts worth more than $ 1 billion, which were flown to Turkey after Abramovich was blacklisted, and two smaller boats currently anchored in the Caribbean. Davidovich told the Guardian that he owned Aquamarine as well as Jersey-based MHC Jersey Ltd, which is listed as the owner of the yacht in the MarineTraffic shipping database. “I can confirm that I am the owner of MHC Jersey Ltd and the yacht Aquamarine,” Davidovich said in a written statement. Davidovich also said he was the majority owner of Norma Investments, listed in the British Virgin Islands, an investment vehicle cited as the sole shareholder of Aquamarine owner MHC Jersey Ltd, according to the Jersey Public Record. Russian businessman David Davidovich told the Guardian he was the owner of Aquamarine. Photo: Heesen Yachts The Wall Street Journal reported earlier, based on securities deposits, that the ownership of Norma Investments, previously believed to be controlled by Abramovich, was transferred to Davidovich on the day Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. The restructuring was seen by experts as a way to prevent the possible freezing of some of Abramovic’s assets. Norma Investments, which had been named as Abramovich’s company in several public statements in the past, had served as a venture capital vehicle. A separate entity called MHC (Services) Ltd also revealed that Davidovich had taken control of the company on February 24. MHC (Services) is registered with Chelsea Football Club Stamford Bridge, although it is not affiliated with the club and provides consulting services. Both Davidovich and Roman Abramovich’s representatives did not respond to requests for comment on Abramovich’s ties to Aquamarine. Abramovich’s spokesman said the oligarch was not the final beneficiary of MHC Jersey Ltd. Aquamarine repairs Damen Shiprepair, a Dutch company specializing in the construction and repair of luxury yachts. A source at the shipyard, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was generally understood it was Abramovich’s yacht. Aquamarine was built by the Dutch company Heesen, which delivered it in 2021. At the time of its construction, the luxury magazine Robb Report brought it to $ 40.3 million (33 33.8 million). Heesen describes the boat on its website as “a fast-moving semi-displacement aluminum cruise ship with a clear design language and enviable attractiveness. Mediterranean Sea “. It can accommodate up to 12 people. According to the source at the Damen shipyard, the Aquamarine was transported to Vlissingen for “structural changes” on 16 November 2021, but the source said that no work had been done on the ship since 10 March, the day the UK imposed sanctions on Abramovich. “Only the ship’s crew is allowed to work on the boat. “But Damen or any other subcontractor is not working on it.” The Netherlands announced on Wednesday that 14 anonymous yachts linked to sanctioned Russian people – 12 of which are still under construction – were seized by Dutch customs as part of EU sanctions against Russia. There is nothing to suggest that Aquamarine was among the ships seized. Dutch customs officials and the Foreign Ministry declined to comment on Aquamarine’s ownership and status, citing the country’s strict privacy laws. Damen also said it had not commented on the situation of individual customers. Subscribe to the daily Business Today email or follow the Guardian Business on Twitter at @BusinessDesk “As far as I know, Aquamarine is not subject to sanctions,” Davidovich said. While several Russian billionaires have seen their magnates confiscated in European ports, the former Chelsea owner has taken steps to avoid such a fate by transporting his two giant boats – the 140-meter Solaris and the 163-meter Ecliples – to Turkey. ports last month beyond the scope of Western sanctions. Abramovic has not commented publicly on why the two ships were transported to Turkey. The Financial Times reported earlier that two more yachts linked to Abramovich were currently moored on the Caribbean island of Antigua. The Antigua government has since confirmed that the two yachts moored on its territory belonged to Abramovich.
