If you look up “opulence” in the dictionary, a photo of the Dilbar megayacht won’t pop up, but it should. The Lurssen vessel, still the world’s largest by volume and among the most expensive, is back in the headlines.
Not much was known aboutDilbarprior to its seizure in Germany in March 2022, under the current wave of sanctions meant to cut off the cashflow to Putin’s war in Ukraine. Specifics on the build remain unknown, but we do know this now: Dilbar was carrying $5 million in rare artwork. At least.
German authorities have seized several pieces of art that were once used to adorn Dilbar,Radio Free Europeɾєρօɾτs. The paintings, including some by French Surrealist Marc Chagall, were once onboard Dilbar but were stored in separate storage once the ship arrived in for repairs. Authoritiesraided the shipin September as the megayacht sat in the dock, but they were looking for proof of tax evasion. Dilbar itself was seized in March and docked at the Blohm + Voss shipyard, where it had arrived for said repairs.
Dilbar belongs to Russia’s richest man, billionaire Alisher Usmanov, and while it’s not his sole luxury asset, it is the proverbial jewel in the crown. Usmanov is one of the highest-profile oligarchs on the sanctions list, but that didn’t stop him from trying to get Dilbar back from German authorities, including by claiming the direct owner was his sister, who, at the time, was not sanctioned.
With a ɾєρօɾτedvalue of $600 million(which doesn’t include the $5 million in artworks or any other treasures Usmanov might’ve packed onboard), Dilbar is one of the most enigmatic and expensive superyachts ever built. It is also a fully custom project, delivered by luxury shipyard Lurssen in 2016, ɾєρօɾτedly according to the exact specifications of the owner – which makes it the biggest bespoke vessel ever built.
Dilbaris 156 meters (511.8 feet) long and comes with two helipads and the world’s largest swimming pool ever installed on a yacht. In short, Dilbar is a sum ofworld records, a most impressive feat considering not much is actually known about it.
