Business / Billionaires

A Luxury Yacht with submarine and missile defences

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s new $400 million, 555-ft. Eclipse, designed to be the world’s biggest (and so named because Abramovich desires that it overshadow all other boats at sea) will have a military-grade missile defense system to keep the oligarch safe. Abramovich owns three other megayachts already: the 377 ft. Pelorus, the 282 ft. Ecstasea […]

Oct 08, 2008 | By Luxuo

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s new $400 million, 555-ft. Eclipse, designed to be the world’s biggest (and so named because Abramovich desires that it overshadow all other boats at sea) will have a military-grade missile defense system to keep the oligarch safe.

Abramovich owns three other megayachts already: the 377 ft. Pelorus, the 282 ft. Ecstasea and the 160 ft. Sussurro but the Eclipse will be 25 ft. longer than Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s 530-ft. Platinum, currently ranked as the biggest yacht in the world.

The 377ft Pelorus will soon be playing second fiddle to Abramovich’s newest ship – the 550ft Eclipse

Secrecy surrounds the Eclipse, but sources tell the London Times that an antiballistic missile defense system is being installed by AST, a company with close ties to both the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg, where the yacht is being built, and the German defense ministry.

The Eclipse is being equipped with armor plating surrounding the bridge and Abramovich’s master suite, as well as bullet-proof windows. The yacht will also have a submarine for two, just in case pirates or other rapscallions make it on board. That doubles as an escape pod, as well as two helicopter pads.

Abramovich’s yacht will also have cabins for 24 guests as well as a cinema, aquarium, disco and hospital. But no weapons : under maritime law, private vessels are banned from carrying them. According to the International Maritime Bureau, pirates attacked 269 vessels last year, took nearly 300 hostages and killed five people.


 
Back to top