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South Africa allows superyacht belonging to Putin ally billionaire to dock in Cape Town

Russian tycoon alexey mordashov is one of the many sanctioned by western countries, article bookmarked.

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South Africa has allowed a superyacht linked to sanctioned Russian tycoon Alexey Mordashov to dock in its territory.

“South Africa has no legal obligation to abide by sanctions imposed by the US and EU,” president Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told reporters in a statement on Tuesday.

“We have no reason to prevent their entry into South Africa,” Mr Magwenya added.

“South Africa’s obligations with respect to sanctions relate only to those that are specifically adopted by the United Nations. Currently, there are no UN-imposed sanctions on the particular individual.”

The movement of the $521m (£472m) superyacht, named Nord, to South Africa from Hong Kong on Thursday came almost two weeks after the US accused Hong Kong of operating as a safe haven for sanctioned individuals.

Hong Kong had allowed the vessel to stay in its waters and said it would not sieze the superyacht .

The South African government official’s statement comes even as the opposition, including Cape Town mayor and member of the main opposition Democratic Alliance Geordin Hill-Lewis, had called for the sanctioned businessman’s vessel to be denied entry.

“There is no place in our city for accomplices to, and enablers of, Putin’s war,” Mr Hill-Lewis said in a tweet.

The demand was rejected by the government which had earlier in March abstained from a UN vote condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Mordashov is is one of many Russian oligarchs sanctioned by western countries, including the US, UK and the European Union, after Russia ’s invasion of Ukraine in February.

He has tried to challenge the sanctions against him in European courts, and has also distanced himself from Putin while criticising the war in Ukraine.

“What is happening in Ukraine is a tragedy for two fraternal nations,” he said in a statement issued through a spokesperson. “It is terrible that Ukrainians and Russians are dying, people are suffering hardships and the economy is collapsing. I sincerely hope a way can be found in the very near future to resolve this conflict and stop the bloodshed.

“I have never been close to politics and have always focused on building economic value at the companies I have worked for both in Russia and abroad, creating jobs and supporting local communities. I have absolutely nothing to do with the emergence of the current geopolitical tension and I do not understand why the sanctions were imposed on me.

For a very long time, I have been engaged in the development of economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation with many western countries and I fail to understand how these sanctions against me will contribute to the settlement of the dreadful conflict in Ukraine.”

Last week, the business tycoon’s vessel left Hong Kong for South Africa .

The US had hit out at Hong Kong after the vessel had docked in the city.

But Hong Kong leader John Lee had said, while the city complies with UN sanctions, authorities “cannot do anything that has no legal basis” when it comes to sanctions unilaterally imposed by other jurisdictions.

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Sanctioned Russian oligarch Alexey Mordashov allowed to dock superyacht in Cape Town

Before the West imposed sanctions on oligarchs over Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine, Alexey Mordashov was the richest man in Russia with an estimated net worth of $29.1bn, according to Forbes.

OSINT producer @OliveLineham

Wednesday 26 October 2022 13:27, UK

A superyacht owned by a sanctioned Russian oligarch will be allowed to dock in South Africa.

The country has "no legal obligation" to abide by sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union, a spokesman for Cyril Ramaphosa, the president, said.

Nord, a luxury 465ft yacht worth more than $500m, is owned by Alexey Mordashov, a billionaire ally of Vladimir Putin, and will be allowed to dock in Cape Town.

Putin oversees training for 'massive nuclear strike' - live updates

The case exemplifies the limits of sanctions imposed by the US and the EU in response to Mr Putin's war in Ukraine.

Mordashov was one of several oligarchs targeted with sanctions by the US and EU, but not the United Nations, after the invasion of Ukraine in February for their ties to Mr Putin.

Vincent Magwenya, Mr Ramaphosa's spokesman, said South Africa's obligations on sanctions "relate to only those specifically adopted by the United Nations" - of which it is a founding member.

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The yacht, which has six decks and a helipad, left Hong Kong last Thursday and is en route to Cape Town, according to MarineTraffic, a maritime tracker.

The decision has been criticised by South African opposition leaders, including the mayor of Cape Town, who urged the government to block Nord's entry.

Geordin Hill-Lewis, a member of the opposition Democratic Alliance party, tweeted: "There is no place in our city for accomplices to, and enablers of, Putin's war."

Mordashov had an estimated net worth of $29.1bn before sanctions hit, according to Forbes, which made him the richest man in Russia.

The yacht docked in Hong Kong after a seven-day voyage from Vladivostok, in the Russian Far East near the border with China, down through the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.

I have asked Minister Pandor to block the entry of a R9 billion superyacht, owned and sailed by sanctioned Russian oligarch Alexey Mordashov, to Cape Town's port. There is no place in our city for accomplices to, and enablers of, Putin’s war. https://t.co/yTqZGs1Eka pic.twitter.com/MAxOFf267t — Geordin Hill-Lewis (@geordinhl) October 24, 2022

Before its arrival, John Lee, the Beijing-backed leader of Hong Kong, said the authorities would not act on unilateral sanctions imposed on Mordashov by individual jurisdictions.

"We cannot do anything that has no legal basis," said Mr Lee, who himself has been sanctioned by the US for his role in a crackdown on local freedoms.

China, a traditional ally of Russia, has opposed economic sanctions against Russia and refused to condemn Mr Putin's invasion, though last month at the UN General Assembly it called for a negotiated end to the war.

In a statement to Sky News Mr Mordashov said: "It is terrible that Ukrainians and Russians are dying, people are suffering hardships and the economy is collapsing. I sincerely hope a way can be found in the very near future to resolve this conflict.

"I have absolutely nothing to do with the emergence of the current geopolitical tension and I do not understand why the sanctions were imposed on me."

Read more: How a KGB agent from Leningrad rose to the top of the Kremlin Russia could take 10 years to recover from sanctions

Mordashov built his wealth around the Russian steel producer Severstal.

Multiple Russian-owned superyachts have been seized since the start of the war in Ukraine.

In recent months, a number have been moved to parts of the world considered beyond the reach of Western sanctions, including Turkey, parts of Asia and the Caribbean.

Related Topics

By SuperyachtNews 25 Oct 2022

Cape Town’s Mayor calls for Nord’s entry to be blocked

M/y nord is on course to cape town but could be turned away ….

Following Russian-owned Superyacht Nord’s problematic stopover in Hong Kong, the vessel is now on course to arrive in Cape Town, South Africa. According to BusinessTech, the 142-metre yacht weighed anchor on the 20th of October and departed for South Africa from Hong Kong. Nord is expected to arrive in Cape Town on the 9th of November.

Geordin Hill-Lewis, Cape Town’s mayor, called on the government to not allow the yacht to enter the city’s port. As previously reported by SuperyachtNews, Nord is owned by Alexey Mordashov, who has been sanctioned by the EU, the UK and the US due to his close ties with Vladimir Putin. Mordashov’s business in the steel industry, part of Russia's key strategy in its war efforts. 

Bloomberg reported that Hill-Lewis has written to South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, requesting her intervention in blocking the entry of the yacht and asking that Mordashov be denied entry to the country:

“To the best of our knowledge, Mr Mordashov is aboard the vessel and intends to enter South Africa through the port of Cape Town. If this happens, Mr Mordashov — and his luxury yacht — will be considered to be guests of the South African state,” the Cape Town mayor said. A spokesperson for Mordashov informed the press that the Russian billionaire has been in Moscow since the yacht arrived in Hong Kong and declined to comment on Nord’s movements. 

Hill-Lewis recognised the illegality of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and pointed out the evidence of war crimes committed against Ukraine’s civilians:

“The founding provisions of our constitution state our nation’s commitment to human dignity and the advancement of human rights and freedoms. To welcome an accomplice to state terrorism against innocent people to our shores as a guest would be a violation of these values. If Mordashov is allowed to dock and enter, I believe this is something which we will come not only to feel ashamed of as a matter of our own morality but it will also lower our reputation and standing among the peace-loving nations of the world.”

Hill-Lewis concluded: “I call on minister Pandor, therefore, to bar Mordashov’s docking in Cape Town and his entry into the republic.”

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The South African Government Just Let a Russian Oligarch Dock His $500 Million Megayacht

A spokesman for president cyril ramaphosa said the nation was under "no legal obligation" to comply with western sanctions., rachel cormack.

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After making waves on an international scale, Alexey Mordashov’s $500 million megayacht appears to have found safe haven in South Africa .

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Western authorities have imposed sanctions on more than 1,000 Russian individuals and businesses in response to President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. South Africa has so far avoided directly criticizing Russia and abstained from several UN votes condemning the war.

Mordashov—the largest shareholder in the steelmaker Severstal and the third-richest man in Russia—has been targeted by the Western sanctions due to his ties with Putin. The billionaire maintains he has had no involvement in Russian politics and has been fighting the sanctions since May.

Mordashov lost his 215-foot superyacht , Lady M , back in March after it was seized by Italian police. Nord is believed to be his biggest yacht asset, though. Indeed, the vessel, which is larger than a football field, features two helipads, a retractable hangar, a diving center, a swimming pool and 20 staterooms across six decks. It was delivered by German yard Lürssen in November 2020.

After leaving Hong Kong earlier this week, Nord is now en route to South Africa and is expected to moor in Cape Town on November 9, according to Marine Traffic data. The yacht was west of Indonesia as of Wednesday. You can track Nord ’s journey via Spire Maritime .

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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Home » Russian billionaire threatened with ‘ship arrest’ – *if* yacht docks in SA

Russian billionaire threatened with ‘ship arrest’ – *if* yacht docks in SA

A Putin-aligned Russian billionaire is on the verge of causing a diplomatic incident – but what will happen when his yacht reaches Cape Town?

Now here’s a turn-up for the books. Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov could be in for a rude awakening when his yacht reaches South African shores. That’s because the DA are pushing for law enforcement officials to conduct a ‘ship arrest’ in Cape Town.

Where is the Nord Yacht owned by Alexey Mordashov?

The Nord Yacht is a vessel worth something in the region of R10 billion. It comes with multiple stories, its own helipad, and more luxuries than you can shake a stick at. Mordashov, who made his money as a Putin-aligned oligarch in Moscow, has been heavily sanctioned by the US and the EU.

Therefore, finding a place to dock his yacht has proved troublesome in recent times. Honestly mate, we’ve all been there…

Sarcasm aside, the South African Government have given Mordashov the green-light to drop anchor in Cape Town. That’s causing friction both domestically and internationally. The Mother City AND the Western Cape are both run by the DA…

Russian billionaire en route to Cape Town – but DA enraged

The Blues are bitterly opposed to the ANC’s ‘neutral stance’ on Russia – and they do not want this yacht pulling in on their territory. Darren Bergman, the shadow DIRCO minister, has insisted that a ‘ship arrest’ must be carried out upon Nord’s arrival.

• A ship arrest, by the way, means that a marine vessel can be detained by the authorities of the nearest land mass.

“The South African government’s scandalous decision to allow the superyacht of the Russian oligarch Alexey Mordashov to dock in South Africa is an international embarrassment. They are on the wrong side of international law. This ship must be arrested once it enters South African waters.”

“By allowing the free movement of Russian tycoons and their toys in SA, we are attracting a market that brings unnecessary and unwanted attention to our shores. It could lead to more terror warnings, longer grey listing periods, or even a run in hyperinflation.” | Darren Bergman

Controversial yacht docking puts Russian billionaire in spotlight

Meanwhile, Bo Mbindwane, a leading national security analyst, has revealed that Mordashov’s yacht ‘has gone dark’. That means it has turned its transponders off, and there’s a genuine struggle to locate the vessel. There are also concerns more sanctioned oligarchs could follow this path.

“The Nord yacht AIS transponders went dark days ago. They are still off. The Nord is expected in Cape Town soon. It’s welcome by the ANC may lead other Russian yachts to seeking shelter in SA, as Putin’s war rages. These beauties could be tourists attractions.” | Bo Mbindwane

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Home » DA Calls for Russian Superyacht to be Blocked from Cape Town on Principle

DA Calls for Russian Superyacht to be Blocked from Cape Town on Principle

The South African government’s decision to allow the superyacht of the Russian oligarch Alexei Mordashov to dock in South Africa is an ”international embarrassment”, says Darren Bergman – DA Shadow Minister of International Relations. International media, such as the Wall Street Journal, is reporting on Nord’s imminent arrival in SA waters despite American and European […]

The South African government’s decision to allow the superyacht of the Russian oligarch Alexei Mordashov to dock in South Africa is an ”international embarrassment”, says Darren Bergman – DA Shadow Minister of International Relations.

International media, such as the Wall Street Journal, is reporting on Nord’s imminent arrival in SA waters despite American and European sanctions on its owner.

“The DA wholeheartedly agrees with Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis’ call on Internal Relations Minister Naledi Pandor to block the docking of the yacht,” says Bergman.

“The free world has taken a conscious decision to push for an end to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and any efforts that do not support or encourage that call is immoral.

“Also, by allowing the free flow of movement of Russian tycoons and their toys in South Africa we are attracting a market that can bring unneccessary and unwanted attention to our shores that could see more terror warnings, longer grey listing periods and perhaps even lead to a run in hyperinflation.

”With the South African government on the wrong side of international law, the DA is compelled to pursue means for this ship to be arrested once it enters South African waters.

“As much as the South African government is not legally bound by the USA and EU sanctions,we are also not legally bound to allow the yacht to dock,” says Bergman.

The DA says it implores President Ramaphosa and Minister Pandor to stand up for international law and refuse entry to the yacht.

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For her own security, Cape Town authorities have apparently denied the $500 million Nord megayacht docking at the marina.

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CAPE TOWN FOR CAPETONIANS

Superyacht headed for Cape Town has literally gone off the radar

Nord, the luxury superyacht belonging to sanctioned Russian oligarch Alexey Mordashov, left Hong Kong on 20 October and, according to the yacht’s automatic identification system (AIS), was scheduled to arrive in Cape Town tomorrow, 9 November. But the vessel has literally gone off the radar.

Also read : Sanctioned oligarch’s R10 billion yacht heading for Cape Town

The Transnet Port Authority told Business Insider that it has not yet received any written berthing request for the yacht, and the Waterfront has not received an application for Nord to moor in its waters.

The yacht is no longer traceable and went dark by turning off its location transponders in waters northwest of Indonesia on 26 October. The last known location of the vessel is reported as passing through the Strait of Malacca around 26 October, cruising at a speed of 17 knots in calm waters.

The AIS on vessels of 300 gross tonnages and larger should always remain switched on as a measure of safety and security. The AIS system is only allowed to be switched off in situations of imminent danger or if the master is certain that the signal will compromise the safety and security of the vessel. Deliberately turning off the AIS compromises the safety of all vessels at sea.

Also read :

Video: inside Mordashov’s megayacht en route to Cape Town if(window.isMobile != null || window.isTablet != null){ document.write(' '); document.write(' '); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('dfp-300x250-3'); }); document.write(' '); }

Picture: Getaway gallery

Article written by Adrienne Bredeveldt

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Sanctioned Russian Mogul’s ‘Nord’ Megayacht Leaves Hong Kong

The Nord superyacht in Hong Kong, China, on Oct. 14.

After mysteriously sailing into Hong Kong two weeks ago, Russian tycoon Alexey Mordashov ’s $500 million superyacht weighed anchor Thursday and departed for South Africa. It was southeast of Hainan Island on Friday morning.

The 465-foot (142-meter) Nord, which caused a stir when it arrived in Hong Kong earlier this month, registered that it expects to arrive in Cape Town on Nov. 9. Prior to coming to Hong Kong, it was docked in Vladivostok, according to vessel data compiled by Bloomberg.