2023-05-18 14:36:52
Sanctions against Russia are not really effective. The $120 million superyacht Alfa Nero was stuck in the port of Falmouth, Antigua, and the bored crew did nothing but play Call of Duty all day. He is now seeking $2 million in back wages.
A Bloomberg according to it “for bored crew” it has nothing to do with what “there are no more passengers coming” aboard the long yacht.
The yacht, equipped with an infinity pool and a helipad, was reportedly taken over by the remaining crew:
“The captain sleeps in a guest room, but otherwise the crew mostly stays below deck, leaving the five other luxury cabins, spa, gym, elevator and everything else on board largely unused.”
The yacht has not moved since March 2022, when the UK and US slapped sanctions on its owner, fertilizer billionaire Andrey Guryev. Gurjev’s lawyer denies that the yacht is his, and that until recently the yacht could be rented for $1 million a week.
According to the report, it is difficult to establish who the real owner of the yacht is because ownership is hidden through a number of organizations. The ship now officially belongs to Antigua, with an Antiguan flag and 2 security guards on board.
The crew is now demanding back pay, which stands at $112,000 a month. The staff was reduced from 44 people to only 6 people. And 25 workers are suing to try to recover more than $2 million in back wages.
The yacht also needs a continuous supply of diesel fuel. Tom Paterson, Marina Master of the Antigua Yacht Club, said: “You can’t even open the door of the Alfa Nero without diesel. These ships burn fossil fuels from the day they launch to the day they die.”
Antigua, meanwhile, said it has received more than 20 offers for the ship and is asking US authorities to lift sanctions so they can sell the ship, as it is currently cash-strapped.
Bloomberg notes that “more than two dozen ships, worth about 4 billion dollars, were seized in ports around the world”, however, maintaining them costs a lot for the countries in whose ports they are stuck.
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