http://www.theage.com.au/world/593-million-splurge-on-worlds-biggest-yacht-20090616-cgim.html
$593 million splurge on yacht Russian billionaire's new toy looks like a state-of-the-art frigate. . $593 million splurge on world's biggest yacht Luke Harding, Moscow June 17, 2009 A Russian billionaire's new toy looks like a state-of-the-art frigate. Luke Harding reports from Moscow. IT HAS all the usual mod cons you would expect for a yacht belonging to a football-loving billionaire - helipad (well, two actually), a cinema, sports complex and even a disco. It also boasts a mini-submarine and looks like a sleek naval destroyer. According to reports, Roman Abramovich, owner of England's Chelsea soccer team, is also the proud owner of the world's most expensive private yacht, the Eclipse. Costing ?340 million ($A593.5 million), it has many original features, including a German-built missile defence system. The Eclipse set sail from Hamburg's Blohm & Voss shipyard last week, and is due to be delivered to Mr Abramovich next year, after the finishing touches have been applied. Nearly 170-metres long, it is bigger than Mr Abramovich's other three mega-yachts - and is 11 metres longer than the world's previous biggest yacht, which belongs to Sheikh Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai. "It's like a big mansion on water," one Russian yacht expert, who declined to be named, said. "The difference between a mansion and a super-yacht is that the yacht moves. You can be in the Med, the Caribbean, wherever." Asked why Mr Abramovich's yacht looked like a scary grey military frigate, the expert added: "It's a trend. Private yachts look like military boats these days. The yacht is a statement for many people. It's a statement about power." The yacht has 11 guest cabins, two swimming pools and a disco hall, Germany's Bild newspaper reported, adding that the windows in Mr Abramovich's master suite are fitted with bullet-proof glass. Maintaining the Eclipse isn't going to be cheap. Annual costs are likely to be ?30 million. About 70 crew are needed to run the vessel. Mr Abramovich's spokesman declined to comment on the yacht. But it appears the tycoon has no intention of cutting back on his personal expenditure, despite the global economic crisis, which has severely battered Russia's well-connected oligarch class. According to Russia's Forbes magazine, Mr Abramovich, Russia's second richest man, lost $US24.3 billion ($A30.7 billion) last year - leaving him with an $8.5 billion fortune. Mr Abramovich's latest acquisition raises questions about his links with the Kremlin, at a time when ostentatious expenditure is officially out of fashion. Russia has been severely affected by the economic crisis, sparking several protests by workers who have lost their jobs. GUARDIAN
<<pointer_eclipse-192x128.jpg>>
