A look inside Dilbar, Alisher Usmanov's $594M superyacht seized by Germany
Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov’s superyacht was seized by German authorities as part of EU sanctions imposed on him in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Monday, February 28. The 512-foot yacht called Dilbar was named after Usmanov's mother and had been undergoing refitting in the northern city of Hamburg since October 2021.
The seizure of the superyacht comes after European Union adopted sanctions on six of Russia’s wealthiest individuals, including Usmanov. The billionaire commenting on the sanctions said, "I believe that such decision is unfair, and the reasons employed to justify the sanctions are a set of false and defamatory allegations damaging my honor, dignity, and business reputation. I will use all legal means to protect my honor and reputation."
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About Dilbar
Dilbar built as Project Omar is a super-yacht launched on 14 November 2015 at the German Lürssen shipyard after nearly four-and-a-half years in build. The stunning interiors and the exteriors of the yacht were designed by Andrew Winch and Espen Oeino respectively. According to a video of the yacht being refueled on social media, a 500,000-liter refuel would cost up to $1.1 million with an average price of $2.20 per liter.
The yacht contains the largest swimming pool ever installed on a yacht at 180 cubic meters as well as two helicopter pads, a sauna, a beauty salon, and a gym. Its plush interiors have more than 1,000 sofa cushions and it can host up to 24 people in 12 suites. For guests missing dry land, Dilbar is equipped with a huge garden with a specially developed variety of grass that tolerates salty sea air. The luxurious yacht has a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure and is powered by 30,000 KW electric diesel power plant.
The Russian billionaire Usmanov is said to have purchased Dilbar from German shipbuilder Lürssen, in 2016 which custom-built it for him over 52 months. According to the Lürssen's website, the superyacht is the world's largest motor yacht by gross tonnage at 15,917 tons and is typically manned by a crew of 96 people. The firm calls Dilbar as "one of the most complex and challenging yachts ever built, in terms of both dimensions and technology." According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dilbar is estimated to be worth $594 million.
The yacht is part of Usmanov’s estimated multibillion-dollar fortune, which spans stakes in iron ore and steel giant Metalloinvest and consumer electronics firm Xiaomi, as well as smaller holdings in telecom, mining and media. Usmanov is also one of the earliest investors in Facebook along with fellow billionaire Yuri Milner. The billionaire owns extensive real estate assets in the West, including two estates in the UK valued at a combined $280 million, and luxury homes in Munich, Germany; Lausanne, Switzerland; Monaco; and Sardinia.