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Inside $500 mn Russian superyacht with a helipad, submarine that just crossed choked Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz has been at the heart of the US-Iran conflict, which is currently observing a fragile temporary ceasefire.
A Russian billionaire's superyacht — Nord — reportedly sailed through the deadlocked Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, becoming one of the very few vessels to transit through the key waterway through which a fifth of world's oil and gas needs travel.
The Hormuz strait has been at the heart of the US-Iran conflict, which is currently observing a fragile temporary ceasefire, with the American-Israeli strikes on February 28 making Tehran — with the use of its geographical advantage — choke it in retaliation to the attacks. Track Iran war April 28 news here
About Nord, the $500 million superyacht
The superyacht is linked to sanctioned Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov, a steel magnate, Reuters reported on Monday, adding that it is not clear how the multi-deck pleasure vessel gained permission to use the route.
A 142-meter (465-foot) yacht worth over $500 million, Nord left a Dubai marina at around 1400 GMT on Friday, crossed the strait on Saturday morning, and reached Muscat early on Sunday, according to data on the MarineTraffic platform, cited in the Reuters report.
One of the largest yachts in the world, Nord reportedly features 20 staterooms, a swimming pool, a helipad and a submarine, according to industry publisher Superyacht Times.
Mordashov, known to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, is reportedly not officially listed as the owner of Nord. However, shipping data and Russian corporate data from 2025 shows the vessel was registered to a Russian firm owned by his wife in 2022. This firm is registered in the Russian town of Cherepovets, where Mordashov's steelmaker Severstal is also registered, per Reuters.
A representative of Mordashov declined to comment on Monday.
Just a few, mainly merchant vessels, have been managing to pass daily through the Strait of Hormuz at the entrance to the Gulf as the US and Iran maintain the delicate ceasefire. This represents a fraction of the average 125 to 140 daily passages before the Iran war began on February 28, according to the Reuters report.
In a countermeasure, the US has imposed a blockade of Iranian ports.
Russia and Iran are longstanding allies who have made their ties stronger in recent years, including via a 2025 treaty that strengthened intelligence and security cooperation.
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi landed in Russia to meet President Putin on Monday after discussions with mediators in Pakistan and Oman over the weekend.
Mordashov was among a number of Russians sanctioned by the United States and European Union after Russia's invasion of Ukraine for their links to Putin.
