EVERETT, Wash. — A superyacht with a nine-figure price tag once owned by a Russian oligarch has recently found its way to Everett.
The seizure of the boat after the Russian invasion of Ukraine transferred the maintenance and other associated costs for the boat to the U.S. government, which has paid a steep sum to keep it running.
The superyacht, Amadea, is 348 feet long and valued at approximately $325 million. It holds 16 guests and 36 crew members and features a helipad, infinity pool, and multiple bars.
Per court filings obtained by CNN and reviewed by KING 5, the superyacht requires $600,000 a month in running costs, plus $144,000 per month in "prorated insurance costs." Dry-docking, which is periodically required according to prosecutors from the Southern District of New York (SDNY), adds an extra $178,000 based on the total cost divided by the boat's number of months in government custody.
As of March when SDNY prosecutors filed their motion to sell the superyacht, it was estimated that the boat was costing about $922,000 a month all-in. Even removing any dry-docking costs, one year of control of the superyacht would cost roughly $8.9 million.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a release May 5, 2022, indicating the boat was formally seized by Fijian officials on order of the U.S. government. If the boat was in custody for 23 months at the time, as prosecutors wrote in their legal filings in March, then the total cost to own and operate the boat up to March 1 was roughly $21.2 million.
Add another two months of the two fixed costs since Wednesday marks two months since prosecutors filed their motion, and the total cost jumps to roughly $22.7 million. That number would be even higher if there were additional dry-docking within the past two months.
There has yet to be a judge's decision on whether the boat can be put up for auction. The DOJ said any money made at auction would most likely go to aid in Ukraine's battle against Russia.
