Abramovich-linked yacht in Netherlands changed hands on day of Ukraine invasion

The 50-metre motor vessel, modest by oligarch standards, is covered in scaffolding and sitting under a hangar in dry dock, one of many such boats being refitted in the Dutch port of Vlissingen

What sets the Aquamarine apart is that, until the day of the invasion of Ukraine, it belonged to Russia’s best-known businessman, Roman Abramovich, a Guardian investigation has revealed. On 24 February, ownership of the yacht passed from a company previously controlled by Abramovich to a close associate of his, the Russian businessman David Davidovich.

The Aquamarine is the fifth yacht to have been recently linked to Abramovich, who was placed under sanctions by the UK and EU for his reported links to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. His fleet includes twomegayachts worth more than $1bn, which were scrambled to Turkey after Abramovich was blacklisted, and two smaller boats currently moored in the Caribbean.

Davidovich told the Guardian that he was the owner of Aquamarine as well as the Jersey-domiciled company MHC Jersey Ltd, which is registered as the owner of the yacht on the maritime database MarineTraffic.

“I can confirm that I am the owner of MHC Jersey Ltd and the Aquamarine yacht,” Davidovich said in a written statement.

Davidovich also said he was the majority owner of the British Virgin Islands-listed Norma Investments, an investment vehicle that is listed as the only shareholder of Aquamarine’s owner MHC Jersey Ltd, according to Jersey public record.

Qazet.az reports, based on securities filings, that ownership of the Norma Investments, previously believed to be controlled by Abramovich, shifted to Davidovich the day Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February. The restructuring was seen by experts as a way to avert the possible freezing of some of Abramovich’s assets.