Superyacht Linked to Sanctioned Russian Billionaire Mordashov Transits Strait of Hormuz Despite Blockade

A superyacht linked to one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's key allies has sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, despite the ongoing blockade of the critical shipping channel. The 142m-long (465 feet) Nord luxury boat, linked to sanctioned Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov, travelled from Dubai to Muscat, Oman over the weekend, one of a few private vessels to transit through the strait in recent months.

Iran has engaged with Russia in high-level talks this week as its standoff with the US over the strait's re-opening continues. Mordashov, who has close ties to Putin, is not listed as the formal owner of the luxury boat. However, Nord's records indicate it was registered to a firm owned by his wife in 2022.

Nord, estimated to be worth over $500m (£370m), left Dubai on Friday night and arrived at Al Mouj, a marina in Oman's capital, on Sunday morning, according to data on the Marine Traffic platform. Maritime traffic through the Gulf channel is currently at a fraction of pre-war levels. The conflict has contributed to a spike in global oil prices, with the global benchmark Brent crude rising to $109 (£80) a barrel on Monday.

Iran has continued restricting shipping through the vital waterway after President Donald Trump announced US forces would impose a blockade on Iranian ports. The Russian-flagged Nord managed to clear the strait despite private vessels largely avoiding the waterway since the outbreak of hostilities.

While long-term peace negotiations stall between the two sides, Tehran has this week focused its diplomatic efforts on cementing its relationship with Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted an Iranian delegation in St Petersburg on Monday, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi hailed their "strategic relationship". Putin told Araghchi that the Iranian people are "courageously fighting" for their sovereignty in the face of American and Israeli pressure, Russian state-run news agency Tass reported.

The yacht has a swimming pool, submarine and helipad, according to a profile in the interest magazine Superyacht Times. Mordashov has been targeted by western sanctions, including from the UK, US and European Union since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.