Captain Guy Booth has voiced his concerns over the prolonged detention of the 58.5-metre superyacht Phi, which has been embroiled in a lengthy legal dispute in the UK. The vessel was detained in 2022 under newly-enacted sanction laws following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and has since been anchored in central London, reportedly accruing costs for her owner exceeding £11 million.
"Without proper access to maintenance facilities and skilled personnel, the yacht continues to deteriorate and corrode, posing a substantial environmental and safety risk to nearby residents," Captain Guy Booth stated. "It appears, yet again, that no one knows how to handle Phi. Consequently, she remains here with a multitude of issues that pose a significant risk."
An appeal against Phi's detention in London was filed in August 2023, arguing that the yacht's Russian owner had never been listed under any sanctions. However, the UK Court of Appeal dismissed this appeal in March 2024, concurring with the opposition's assertion that "a [Russian of considerable wealth] is likely to have profited from the Russian regime."
According to Booth, Phi has faced "monthly" intrusions by the public, has had key insurances (Protection and Indemnity and Hull and Machinery) lapse, and is at risk of losing her class certification and operating certificates. This is due to the yacht's need for custom hull cradles to undergo drydocking, which are only available at Royal Huisman's facilities in the Netherlands. Her next survey is scheduled for December 2024.
"The detention has inflicted immense financial strain; the yacht has been unable to generate any income—its intended purpose—the owner has only seen her once or twice, never in a completed state, and Phi has brought him nothing but distress and hardship, both physically and emotionally," Booth concluded.
Phi was delivered in 2021, featuring exterior design by Cor D. Rover and interiors by Lawson Robb. Notable design elements include an upper deck "penthouse apartment" for the owner and a patented DEPP swimming pool, which conserves freshwater by heating and treating the water when the pool is not in use.
There has been no official update on Phi's fate since the appeal ruling in March 2024. BOAT International will continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds.
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