- Dilbar is owned by Alisher Usmanov, 62, a Russian billionaire who is one of Arsenal FC’s majority shareholders
- The massive vessel has set a record for gross tonnage of 15,917 tons and is the world's fourth longest superyacht
- Many details remain a secret, but Dilbar has nearly 41,000 square feet of living space and two helipads
The
seas around Monaco and other holiday hotspots for the super-rich are
about to get even more crowded with the delivery of the world’s fourth
longest superyacht.
Owned
by one of Arsenal FC’s majority shareholders, Dilbar measures 156
metres (511.8ft) and is the largest yacht in the world in terms of
internal volume, with a gross tonnage of 15,917 tons.
She
was custom built for 62-year-old billionaire Alisher Usmanov, whose
reported net worth of £9bn makes him one of the richest citizens of
Russia.
Dilbar, the world's fourth largest
superyacht and the biggest in terms of volume, has been delivered to her
owner after sea trials
The massive superyacht was custom built for 62-year-old billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who owns a majority stake in Arsenal FC
Uzbek-born Usmanov has a net worth of more than $13bn (£8.7bn), making him one of the richest citizens of Russia
Dilbar has two helipads – one on the sundeck and one on the bow – and a small sitting area and a swimming platform at the back
Dilbar was delivered to Usmanov this
month after undergoing sea trials, and has been spotted in recent weeks
in Gibraltar and France
Dilbar was built by Lurssen Yachts at its shipyard near Bremen, Germany over 52 months and underwent sea trial earlier this year
Uzbek-born Russian billionaire Alisher
Usmanov made his fortune through investments in metals, media,
telecommunications and sport
Uzbek-born Usmanov is the world’s 73rd wealthiest person with a recent net worth of $13.4bn, according to Forbes.
The
self-made billionaire made his fortune through investments in metals,
media, telecommunications and sport, including a 30.04 per cent
controlling stake in Arsenal FC.
Usmanov
ordered Dilbar, which has room for dozens of guests and crew, to
replace his other superyacht, a 377ft vessel which was previously called
Dilbar and is now known as Ona.
The build cost for the new Dilbar has not been disclosed, but estimates have put it near £350million.
The superyacht has nearly 41,000 square feet of living space, a diesel-electric power plant and a cruising speed of 22.5 knots
As is the case with many new superyacht builds for the super-rich, details of Dilbar’s interior and amenities remain a secret
Dilbar’s gross tonnage has topped those of the world’s three largest superyachts – Azzam, Roman Abramovich’s Eclipse and Dubai
Built over 52 months, Dilbar’s exterior was designed by Monaco-based Espen Oeino. Her interior was done by London's Winch Design
Dimitri Semenikhin, of Yacht Harbour,
said the majority of the living space is indoors, giving Dilbar the
largest interior volume of any yacht
Usmanov ordered Dilbar to replace his
other superyacht, a 377ft vessel which was previously called Dilbar and
is now known as Ona
The build cost for the new Dilbar
(pictured in the French Riviera) has not been disclosed, but estimates
have put it near £350million
As
is the case with many new superyacht builds for the super-wealthy,
details of Dilbar’s interior and amenities remain a secret.
Her design – which offers very little outdoor space and is geared towards privacy– offers very few hints.
Dilbar,
built by Lurssen Yachts at its shipyard near Bremen, Germany, has two
helipads – one on the sundeck and one on the bow – and a small sitting
area and a swimming platform at the back.
Inside, it has nearly 41,000 square feet of living space for her guests and owner, said Dimitri Semenikhin, of Yacht Harbour.
He said: ‘Yacht projects of this scale never fail to impress, especially when Lurssen is involved.
‘Dilbar
is constructed in such a way that even through helicopter photo shoots,
none of its features can actually be seen other than her two helipads.
‘Although
there are some outdoor spaces on the yacht, the majority of the living
space is located indoors, which has led to Dilbar having the largest
interior volume of any yacht ever built.’
He said the gigantic yacht has a diesel-electric power plant and a cruising speed of 22.5 knots (just under 26mph).
Images captured by photographer Julien Hubert show the massive yacht dwarfing other vessels while at port in the French Riviera last week.
Built
over 52 months, Dilbar’s exterior was designed by Monaco-based Espen
Oeino, while her interior was done by London-based Winch Design.
Dilbar’s gross tonnage tops Al Said's 15,850 tons and Azzam's 13,136 tons, said Semenikhin.
FOLLOW THE MONEY: NEARLY HALF OF THE WORLD'S SUPERYACHTS ARE OWNED BY AMERICANS AND BRITONS
Serene (top), the world's 14th largest superyacht, at 439ft, was the largest to exchange hands last year at an undisclosed price
While
they’re usually associated with Russian oligarchs and Middle Eastern
royalty, nearly half of the world’s superyachts are owned by extremely
wealthy Americans and Britons, a recent study found.
Multimillion-pound
price tags and steep upkeep costs make ownership an incredibly
exclusive club, with the first-ever report on luxury yachts revealing
that there are just 4,476 in the world.
Of those, 33 per cent of owners are from the US and 11 per cent are from Britain.
In
third place, Italy is home to five per cent of all owners, followed by
Australia (four per cent) and Russia (three per cent), said the report from
London-based yacht management firm Camper & Nicholsons and
London-based Wealth-X, which analyses the spending habits of the
super-rich.
In 2015, the world's owners spent a combined $22bn (£15.2bn) to operate their yachts.
An
estimated $2.68bn (£1.8bn) was spent on sales in 2015, down 18 per cent
on 2014’s figures largely due to the US dollar’s strength against the
euro. However, orders increased slightly to 166.
The largest yacht that exchanged hands in 2015 was the 133.9-metre (439ft) Serene, the 14th largest superyacht in the world.
It
was originally owned by Russian tycoon Yuri Scheffler and was rented by
Microsoft head Bill Gates, the world’s wealthiest person, in 2014.
The
report found that the average value of a superyacht – defined as a
vessel measuring 30 metres (98ft) or more – has dropped to $10million
(£7million) from around $16million (£11.1million) in 2011, and the
average length is 41 metres (134ft).
The
largest superyacht in the world, the Azzam, owned by United Arab
Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is 180.6 metres
(592.5ft).
The report is the first of its kind on the world’s one per cent and their taste for luxury vessels.
Like
private jets, superyachts are one of the ultimate symbols of fame and
fortune, and a flashy way to flaunt one’s wealth in places such as the
Mediterranean or Caribbean.
However,
a generation of new and younger owners is setting new trends with a
desire for rare and tailored experiences to confirm their high status,
the report said.
While
the Mediterranean and Caribbean are traditional superyacht
destinations, owners are increasingly looking to visit exotic places
such as the Galapagos Islands, Asia or Antarctica, meaning the demand
for ice-breaking hulls and long-range capabilities is on the up.
They
are also fitting their floating palaces with gyms, spas, swimming
pools, cinema rooms and brighter open-plan interiors, and bringing
personal trainers, nutritionists, therapists and other professionals
with them.
In
terms of water toys, personal watercraft no longer cut it, as owners
want the latest gadgets, including skibobs and hoverboards.
The report analysed data from 211,000 people who have a minimum net worth of $30million (£20.8million).
They
account for 0.003 per cent of the world’s population and have a
collective net worth of nearly $30trillion (£20.8trillion).
