Oligarch Andrey Melnichenko owns the world's largest sailboat
Sailing Yacht A, abbreviated as A, was previously supposed to be called White Pearl. It is 143 meters long, the masts rise to a staggering height of 91 meters and they are the tallest free-standing composite structure in the world. Another prized feature is the underwater glass observatory.
The company Blohm and Voss is responsible for creating this beauty. It was built at Nobiskrug shipyards near Hamburg, Germany, and was delivered to the owner Andrey Melnichenko in 2017.
The luxury ship was designed by Philippe Starck and Martin Francis
We don't know much about the interior, but the renowned designer Philippe Starck is responsible for it as well. It can host up to 24 guests and 54 crew members. The yacht's estimated value is $500 million. The total area of this luxury sea giant is 3,700 m² and a lift moves between the separate decks.
It is made of steel in combination with carbon fibre, the deck is made of teak wood. The eight-floor giant yacht is equipped with two diesel and two electric engines, one of the decks is supposed to serve as a helipad. The average speed of the ship is 29 km/h, the highest possible 39 km/h.
Andrey Melnichenko as one of the richest Russians
The Russian oligarch, the owner of entreprises such as fertilizer manufacturer EuroChem or coal power company SUEK, is known to own the world's largest yachts. Before Sailing Yacht A, it was "Motor Yacht A". The yacht owner's net worth is about $13 billion. In 2019, he placed 90th in the Forbes list of the world's billionaires.
