There’s never a dull moment on the luxury yacht market. It’s only March, but one of the most spectacular yacht sales of the year was already officially completed. The jaw-dropping Soaring, which is only three years old, found a new owner.
2022 was probably one of the worst years in history for Russian superyacht owners. Their floating mansions were either officially targeted by international sanctions, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, or simply unwelcomed in many parts of the world. Some of these oligarchs tried to hide their massive yachts but failed, some succeeded, and others sold them before authorities could get their hands on them.
Soaringwas one of the spectacular superyachts showing up at St. Barths, before Christmas Eve, in 2021. That’s the infamous place where millionaires and billionaires celebrate New Year’s Eve in style, and each of the yachts that arrive there is asuperstarin its own right.
A young build, the German beauty belonged to Ivan Shabalov, one of the many Russian moguls in the oil and gas industry. Russian millionaires are officially some of the world’s top superyacht owners, surpassed only by Americans. They’re also known to flaunt some of the most luxurious, opulent pleasure craft around. A lot of these vessels are secretive and kept for private use only.
The giant 224-foot (68 meters) Soaring emerged in 2020, from the world-famous Abeking & Rasmussen shipyard. Its silhouette is easy to distinguish, thanks to the unusual orange stripe along the waterline, contrasting with the light grey hull and bright-white superstructure.
As you’d expect, this young yacht is ultra-modern from top to bottom. Focus Yacht Design, which was in charge of both the exterior and the interior style, filled Soaring with high-gloss elements and precious materials, for an opulent, glamorous look.
Large enough to accommodate 12 guests (plus a 17-people crew) this majestic vessel makes the most of its huge, 1,541 GT volume. The owner gets to enjoy a private deck, with multiple lounging spots, and an elegant library room with spectacular views. A modern sauna, a large jacuzzi, and a well-equipped gym are available for all the guests onboard, as well as a plethora of water toys, including kayaks, Seabobs, and wakeboards.
Performance-wise, Soaring is ready for extensive journeys, able to cover up to 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 km) at 16 knots (18.4 mph/29.6 kph).
After one year on the market, and a multi-million price drop, Shabalov’ssuperyachtwas eventually sold for a whopping €88 million ($96 million). As for the new owner, that’s still a mystery, but is seems that Soaring’s new home is the UAE. We’ll have to see whether the new owner is also ρłɑɴningto flauntthis luxury toy at St. Barths, this year.
