The dispute at the heart of this action is between Melnichenko and Nobiskrug, the company that built the super yacht. They’re seeking over $16.1 million from Melnichenko, stemming from disputed costs in arbitration that come to about $10 million, plus almost $6 million in interest charges and wages to various subcontractors employed throughout the project. On its website, the Gibraltar Port Authority has this to say about the action: A spokesman for Melnichenko takes a different view on the development, saying that it represents “an astounding act for a shipbuilder of Nobiskrug’s standing” and unnecessary given the circumstances: Assuming this gets cleared up in a timely fashion, Melnichenko will finally have the sailing yacht of his dreams in his possession, a massive 470-foot long behemoth equipped with a helipad, swimming pool, underwater observation pod, and much, much more – too much to let a measly $16 million stand in his way, especially given the project’s overall estimated cost of $400 million and Melnichenko’s own personal fortune of almost $9 billion. UPDATE: As it turns out, Sailing Yacht A was only impounded for about three days, as reported by Boat International. Here’s a statement from a spokesman for the yacht that puts a bow on the whole affair:
