In brief
- Sailing Yacht A is valued at 530 million euros by the Guardia di Finanza, the Italian financial police, who froze it in Trieste on the night of 11-12 March 2022; approximately 593 million dollars at the exchange rate of 13 October 2026.
- Delivered by Nobiskrug in Kiel in February 2017 and designed by Philippe Starck, this 143-metre sailing yacht carries three carbon masts, the tallest of which reaches 100 metres.
- Attributed to Andrey Melnichenko, who disputes ownership, it is held by a company controlled by a trust.
- On 21 May 2026, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that assets held in a trust can be frozen when their beneficiary is sanctioned; the case returns to the Italian administrative courts.
- Its immobilization costs the Italian state, according to several estimates, from 7 to 9 million euros per year, or 30 to 40 million euros since 2022.
With its grey hull and three slender masts, Sailing Yacht A looks like no other boat. It is also one of the few superyachts whose value has been quantified by an authority at the time of its freezing in Italy. Here is its price, technical specifications and the status of the proceedings in October 2026.
How much does Sailing Yacht A cost?
The reference figure comes from the Guardia di Finanza. By freezing the vessel in Trieste on the night of 11-12 March 2022, the Italian financial police valued it at 530 million euros. This is an official estimate, not a sale price: the Nobiskrug shipyard has never published the construction cost, and the yacht has never changed hands. At the European Central Bank reference rate of 13 October 2026 (1 euro for 1.1188 dollars), this represents approximately 593 million dollars.
This amount makes it the most expensive known sailing yacht in the world, and places it fifth in our ranking of the most expensive yachts in the world, across all propulsion types.
Sailing Yacht A technical specifications
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Builder | Nobiskrug, Kiel (Germany) |
| Keel laid | 17 August 2012 |
| Delivery | 3 February 2017 |
| Length | 142.8 metres hull, 144 metres overall |
| Beam and draught | 24.8 metres; 8 metres |
| Tonnage | 12,558 GT |
| Rigging | three self-supporting carbon masts, the tallest at 100 metres; 3,747 m² sail area |
| Propulsion | hybrid, diesel-electric, sail-assisted |
| Design | Philippe Starck; naval architecture Dykstra and Nobiskrug |
| Capacity | 20 guests, 54 crew members |
| Value | 530 million euros (Guardia di Finanza, March 2022) |
A sailing yacht like no other
Developed from 2011 with Philippe Starck, the project was carried out at the Nobiskrug shipyard in Kiel under the code name White Pearl. Its self-supporting rotating carbon masts carry fully automated sails. Below the waterline, an observation pod with 30-centimetre thick glazing allows for viewing the seabed. It remains the largest private sailing yacht in the world, even if the sails are only an assistance to hybrid propulsion.
A night in March 2022 in Trieste
The yacht was in Trieste, in a maintenance yard, when the European Union sanctioned Andrey Melnichenko, founder of the EuroChem and SUEK groups, following the invasion of Ukraine. The Guardia di Finanza froze it on the night of 11-12 March 2022. The exact term is indeed freezing: the owner remains the title holder of the vessel, but cannot use, sell, or transfer it. Custody and maintenance have been entrusted to the Agenzia del Demanio, the Italian public domain agency, at the state’s expense.
What the courts decided
Andrey Melnichenko maintains that the yacht does not belong to him: it is allegedly held by a company controlled by a trust of which he is no longer the beneficiary. He appealed to the Regional Administrative Court of Lazio in May 2022. In parallel, the General Court of the European Union rejected his appeal against his inclusion on the sanctions list in early 2025. Referred by the Italian justice system, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled on 21 May 2026 (joined cases C-428/24 and C-476/24): funds or assets placed in a trust can be considered as belonging to its sanctioned beneficiary, or controlled by them, as long as they can benefit from them or influence the administrator. It is now up to the Italian judge to apply this principle to Sailing Yacht A.
How much does its immobilization cost?
The Italian state does not publish its expenses for the vessel. According to several estimates, maintenance and surveillance represent 7 to 9 million euros per year, totaling between 30 and 40 million euros since March 2022. A mandatory technical stop, expected before the start of 2027 according to several reports, is expected to increase the bill.
By way of comparison, Dilbar, valued between 600 and 735 million dollars by the US Treasury, costs 60 million dollars per year to operate according to the same document. Roman Abramovich’s Eclipse, never frozen, cost approximately 340 million euros according to 2009 estimates. For other boats on sale this year, see also the super-yachts at auction this autumn.
Prices verified and updated on 13 October 2026. Sources: Guardia di Finanza (freeze of 12 March 2022 and valuation at 530 million euros), Court of Justice of the European Union (ruling of 21 May 2026, cases C-428/24 and C-476/24), General Court of the European Union, Nobiskrug, US Treasury (Dilbar), European Central Bank (rate of 13 October 2026).
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