Abramovich Buys Another Yacht

[Fulham Broadway 16,853]

BONN, March 3 (RIA Novosti) - Roman Abramovich, Russia's richest man, is believed to have bought a new luxury yacht, a Russian-language newspaper based in Germany reported Monday.

The yacht, moored near the Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) shipbuilding facility in Kiel for the past week, is widely believed to be Abramovich's new toy, although no official reports on the owner have yet been released, Russkaya Germania said.

Details regarding the mega-yacht with a distinctive military look have been shrouded in secrecy. But Sigma, the vessel's project name, is known to have been built by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg. Its original length of 118 meters (about 400 feet) is rumored to have been increased to 130 meters (about 430 feet) at HDW, both companies being part of the ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems group.

The futuristic yacht was created by French designer Philippe Starck.

The yacht is currently undergoing sea trials and is to be handed over to the owner in April, the paper said. The value of the vessel has not been disclosed.

Abramovich, who owns Chelsea Football Club and is also governor of Chukotka, a remote region in Russia's Far East, is already owner of several multi-million dollar yachts.

His penchant for yachts dates back to 1999, when he bought his first two from fellow Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky.

The largest and most expensive yacht in his collection is so far Pelorus. The 115-meter-long (380-feet) vessel is worth over $100 million. It is fitted out with bullet-proof glass, anti-missile systems, cameras and sensors to detect intruders, two helicopter pads, an indoor swimming pool and a full-time crew of 42 people living on board.

The security-conscious Abramovich is also rumored to have his yachts crewed entirely by ex-SAS personnel, British commandos.

Abramovich, who lives mainly in London, often entertains his Russian business partners, British financiers and Chelsea players aboard his luxury boats, making voyages to Monaco, Portofino, Cannes, as well as to South America and the Caribbean.

From Novosti -Russian News. He likes his boats, thats his 5th I think

[PaulHopkins 1]

I heard he has banned our players from visiting it after the Carling Cup performance

[bombayblue™ 55]

a Russian-language newspaper based in Germany

[Elliott 7]

He might as well buy Africa and be done with it.

[Bandicoot 3]

It's one hell of a weird looking thing

Click Here

[misschief 24]

You can never have enough yachts.

[Drogba11CFC 108]

Maybe he should buy one for Grant...and call it the "Titanic".