District

US Spending $7 Million a Year to Maintain Yacht Seized from Russian Oligarch

The U.S. government said it is spending more than $7 million a year to maintain a superyacht it seized from a sanctioned Russian oligarch, and urged a judge to let it auction the vessel before a dispute over its ownership is resolved.Authorities in Fiji seized the 348-foot (106-meter), $300 million Amadea in May 2022, pursuant to a U.S. warrant alleging it was owned by Suleiman Kerimov, a multibillionaire sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2014 and 2018 in response to Russia's activities in Syria and Ukraine.Efforts to auction the yacht are being challenged by Eduard Khudainatov…

New Vessel Design: FIM Unveils the 470 Regina

An open design to make the most of outdoor spaces thanks to the Bow Life concept is the hallmark of the Italian shipyard FIM's 470 Regina, which is currently under construction with world premieres expected at Cannes and Genova.The aft of the boat has folding balconies and a splittable solarium, delivering a spacious central area and great accessibility and liveability. In additino, the stern bathing platform is equipped with a lifting system that will facilitate the launching and towing of a tender or a jet ski.According to FIM…

Russian Oligarch Vekselberg's Superyacht Seized in Spain

Spanish police on Monday impounded a superyacht belonging to Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg on behalf of U.S. authorities, the first time the United States has seized property belonging to a Russian oligarch since its invasion of Ukraine in February.Valued at more than 90 million euros ($99 million), the 78-metre-long "Tango" (255 ft) was seized in a shipyard on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca, the Guardia Civil police and the U.S. Justice Department said in parallel…

A Look Inside A North German Showroom for Superyachts

The Bremen district of Vegesack enjoys an excellent reputation as the North German Superyacht Valley on the banks of the River Weser. A reputation that extends far beyond the world-famous shipyards of Lürssen and Abeking & Rasmussen. In fact, many other well-known companies in the industry are also contributing to the high-profile international standing of the area, including the renowned design studio beiderbeck designs, which has its head office here. This is now undergoing expansion with a new and exclusive showroom for megayacht equipment.

US Warship Assists Distressed Sailing Vessel

A U.S. Navy warship came to the aid of a sailing vessel drifting about 150 nautical miles east of the Bahamas on Saturday.After the distressed vessel radioed for help on Friday morning, U.S. Coast Guard District 7 coordinated with USS Mitscher (DDG 57) , the closest ship able to render aid. Mitscher rendezvoused with the vessel later that evening and towed it overnight to the closest port of San Salvador, Bahamas.The 51-foot sailing vessel had a damaged steering shaft and was unable to maneuver.

i911: Tapping Cellphone Location Data to Save Lives

In recent years the U.S. Coast Guard has identified an increasing trend in the use of cellular phones by the maritime public when communicating distress. In 2018, leadership in the Office of Search and Rescue (SAR) at Coast Guard Headquarters asked the Research and Development Center (RDC) to investigate available technologies that could assist Coast Guard responders in adapting to this trend by leveraging the cellphone’s internal GPS. The RDC, located in New London, Conn., has been serving the Coast Guard for nearly 50 years through research…

Two Rescued from Disabled Sailboat

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two mariners from their disabled sailing vessel, Rhapsody, approximately 288 miles east southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas, Thursday afternoon.Watchstanders at the Eighth Coast Guard District command center received an emergency position indicating radio beacon alert at 2:13 a.m. Watchstanders directed the launch of a Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew and diverted the LPG tanker Sahara Gas to investigate the location.Once on scene…

SW/TCH Maritime Funds H2 e-Ferry

SW/TCH Maritime has announced its investment to construct and own the ‘Water Go Round’ e-ferry in collaboration with Golden Gate Zero Emission Marine (GGZEM).SW/TCH Maritime is a New York-based investment platform building the first fleet of zero-emissions maritime vessels in the US. GGZEM is a provider of turn-key hydrogen fuel cell power systems for ships.The 84-passenger e-ferry is currently under construction at the Bay Ship & Yacht shipyard in Alameda, CA using private funding from SW/TCH and a $3 million grant from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) through the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District)…

CG Searches for Mariner Off Jamaica

The Coast Guard is searching for a missing mariner Tuesday approximately 146 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica.Watchstanders at Coast Guard 7th District Command Center received a report from master of the sailing vessel Cinnamon Girl that a 71-year-old crewmember was went overboard.The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant (WMEC-617) was diverted by the watchstanders to search.No further information is available at this time.

USCG: Unlicensed Charters - Bad News for Everyone

The Coast Guard is reminding the public that unlicensed vessel charters are both illegal and unsafe to consumers.Hiring an unlicensed charter is dangerous because the charter may not have the proper emergency safety gear, navigation and communication gear, and may not have undergone the proper license exams and inspections which are put in place to ensure passenger and crew safety.Legal passenger vessel operations fall into one of these three categories:Uninspected Passenger Vessel…

Yacht donations, marine charities help children in need.

It’s always the right season to give to those in need, but the end of the fiscal year correlates with a generosity spike - to make one more contribution for a last-minute, itemized tax deduction.However, most boat owners don’t donate their vessels out of altruism, it’s to stop the bleeding of incessant maintenance costs and expensive repairs for an aged boat that’s hard to sell. The write-off for income taxes is actually a bonus. Donating a boat or yacht is a legal process governed…

Captains, Crew Recoup Lost Wages by Arresting Megayacht

Most yacht crew are compensated every payday, via wire transfer or check. But for some yachties, the only way to get paid is the hard way: by filing a lawsuit in federal court and literally arresting the megayacht for back pay owed.While many captains and crew are reluctant to initiate expensive litigation to arrest the boat they’ve served on, pursuing their seaman’s lien is the best route for compensation. If the legitimate amount due is well over $10,000, crew should stand on their rights and act on their valid claim immediately.

Montenapoleone Yacht Club 2018

From May 14 to 20 Montenapoleone Yacht Club renewed its appointment, with a week of events dedicated to luxury and boating in the heart of the Milan Fashion District.For the fourth edition of the prestigious event, Louis Vuitton and Giuseppe Zanotti boutiques hosted respectively ISA Yachts and Columbus Yachts: a partnership made in the name of excellence and design creativity and destined to leave the mark.In the exclusive Milan space of Maison Louis Vuitton, iconic and exclusive…

Kramer Promoted to MarineMax District President of North Florida

MarineMax has promoted Aaron Kramer to District President of North Florida. In this position, he will oversee all MarineMax stores in North Florida including MarineMax Gulf Shores, MarineMax Pensacola, and MarineMax Panama City Beach.Kramer joined MarineMax in 2012 at MarineMax Houston. He has gradually moved through increasing roles of responsibility eventually managing MarineMax Gulf Shores. Most recently, Kramer was the General Manager of MarineMax Venice where he and his team achieved the utmost success for the past three years.

MS EUROPA 2 Meets Breakdancing

Guests on board the luxury ship EUROPA 2 will to be enchanted by a unique performance that blends breakdancing and classical music. The internationally renowned “Flying Steps” dance group will make their EUROPA 2 debut in July, and will perform their dynamic “Flying Bach” show on a cruise that started yesterday in Monte Carlo, cruising the Mediterranean Sea to Palma de Mallorca. Under the artistic direction of Vartan Bassil, this breakdancing group from Berlin’s Kreuzberg district has become a network of over 30 world-class athletes who have danced their way to international success.

Disabled Sailboat Towed to Safety

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous and Coast Guard Cutter Richard Snyder towed a disabled sailboat with two people aboard to safety Tuesday.The crew of the sailing vessel Gaia became disabled after being demasted and losing all electrical power. The crew activated an Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) which notified the Coast Guard that the crew was in distress approximately 37-miles off Atlantic Beach, North Carolina.An aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City launched a HH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter crew and lowered a handheld radio to the crew of the Gaia Sunday night.The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous…

SeaKing Electrical Announces Superyacht Sector Growth

Maritime engineering company SeaKing Electrical announced its busiest year in a decade for superyacht work ahead of its attendance at the Monaco Boat Show.Liverpool City Region based SeaKing Electrical has sent teams to work on 18 superyacht repair and upgrade projects in the nine months until September beating its previous record of 17 jobs in all of 2017. The company has worked in the Mediterranean in Cadiz, Cartagena, Genoa, La Ciotat and Barcelona as well as Miami in the United…

US Flag Registry Now a Reality for Large Yachts

With the stroke of President Trump's pen on Monday, August 13, 2018, U.S. yacht owners are now able to fly an American flag and register their yachts - over 300 GT - in the United States.This new legislation modernizes outdated laws and brings the United States in line with current times, according to a yachting trade association. "This has been a significant issue that the U.S. Superyacht Association (USSA) has spent nearly a decade working to correct," said Kate Pearson, USSA Chair and vice president of business development of Safe Harbor Marinas.

Yacht Charter Terminated for Multiple Safety Violations

The owner and operator of a 65-foot pleasure yacht is facing maximum civil penalties amounting to $41,546 for illegal passenger for hire operation.The U.S. Coast Guard said it boarded the yacht Zenith Saturday after receiving a call from a concerned passenger and hearing that the vessel allided with the Venetian Causeway Bridge in Miami earlier that day.There was no reported damage sustained to the bridge or any reported injuries to those on board the Zenith, but several safety issues and environmental concerns were discovered…