A 142-metre luxury superyacht associated with one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies has successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz, defying a restrictive maritime blockade that has severely hampered international shipping in the region.
The vessel, known as Nord, is one of the very few private craft to transit the vital channel in recent months, completing a journey from Dubai to Muscat, Oman, over the weekend.
Linked to the sanctioned Russian billionaire Alexei Mordashov, the Russian superyacht is estimated to be worth more than $500 million (£370 million).
Mordashov, the founder of the Russian steel and mining giant Severstal, is currently ranked as the wealthiest Russian national by Forbes, with a net worth estimated at approximately $37 billion.
While Mordashov is not formally listed as the owner of the Russian-flagged yacht, registration records from 2022 indicate the vessel is held by a firm owned by his wife.
According to data from the Marine Traffic platform, the Nord departed Dubai on Friday night and arrived at the Al Mouj marina in the Omani capital on Sunday morning.
The route utilised by the yacht has historically been used by vessels operating with the agreement of the Iranian government. While it remains unclear if the Nord secured specific permission for the transit, the tracker did not indicate that the vessel made any stops in Iran.
The transit occurs amidst heightened tensions, as Iran has severely restricted shipping through the strait following United States and Israeli strikes that began on 28 February.
Tehran previously warned that any vessel approaching the waterway would be targeted, prompting the US to announce that its forces would intercept or turn back ships travelling to or from Iranian ports.
However, the United States Central Command (Centcom) defines the official blockade starting point as being further east of the Nord’s last reported location.
The ongoing regional conflict has reduced maritime traffic through the Gulf to a fraction of its normal levels. This disruption is significant as approximately one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies typically pass through this channel.
Consequently, global energy prices have surged, with the Brent crude benchmark rising to $109 (£80) a barrel this past Monday.
Mordashov has been a primary target of Western sanctions from the UK, US, and European Union since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
While his smaller 65-metre boat, Lady M, was impounded by Italian police in the port of Imperia in March 2022, the Nord has managed to avoid seizure. Jurisdictions such as Hong Kong and the Maldives have declined to freeze the asset despite calls from Western nations.
This has led many Russian oligarchs to relocate their luxury vessels to ports in the Middle East and Asia, which are considered beyond the reach of such sanctions.
The yacht’s movement coincides with a period of intense diplomacy between Moscow and Tehran. This week, President Putin hosted an Iranian delegation in St Petersburg, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi praised the “strategic relationship” between the two nations.
Araghchi expressed gratitude for Russia’s “solidarity” and support for diplomacy in the face of American and Israeli pressure. President Putin reportedly told Araghchi that the Iranian people were “courageously fighting” for their sovereignty.
The Nord, which features high-end amenities including a swimming pool, submarine, and helipad, remains a prominent symbol of Russian wealth navigating the shifting geopolitical landscape.
