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Le Grand Bleu (yacht)
Encyclopedia
Le Grand Bleu is one of the largest private yachts in the world at 104 m (341.2 ft) in length. It was built at the Bremer Vulkan
yard in Bremen
, Germany
, and was launched in 2000. It was designed by Stefano Pastrovich and constructed by Kusch Yachts. It was previously owned by John McCaw Jr., an American businessman, who sold her to Russian businessman Roman Abramovich
in 2002. Abramovich had it refitted to his own preferences by HDW in Kiel
, Germany. This included an internal refit and the addition of a 16 feet (4.9 m) swim platform.
In June 2006, Abramovich gave Le Grand Bleu to its current owner, friend and business partner Eugene Shvidler
.
Le Grand Bleu is powered by two 3,600 hp Wärtsilä
engines. Details about the interiors are scanty as Abramovich is protective of his family's privacy and highly security-conscious, but they were designed by Terence Disdale.
in May 2004, serving as a base for Abramovich during Chelsea F.C.
's fixtures against AS Monaco
in the UEFA Champions League
.
The yacht needed work when it visited New Zealand over the Christmas New Year period of 2006/7. The work was carried out by Yachtwork .
Its latest drydock and refit was in Port Canaveral, FL in 2008. This refit included a new "green" wastewater treatment system in addition to the current Lloyd's certified system. The new treatment system allows the ship to reuse the wastewater after treatment rather than discharging the wastewater overboard into the sea. As of January 2010, it could frequently be seen docked in Nassau, Bahamas. The boat also boasts two additional yachts on individual cranes that it carries on the topside of the aft of the boat. One 70 ft sailboat on the port side, and a 65 ft powerboat on the starboard side.
Bremer Vulkan
Bremer Vulkan AG was a great German shipbuilding company located at the Weser river in Bremen-Vegesack. It was founded in 1893 and closed in 1997 because of financial problems and mismanagement....
yard in Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and was launched in 2000. It was designed by Stefano Pastrovich and constructed by Kusch Yachts. It was previously owned by John McCaw Jr., an American businessman, who sold her to Russian businessman Roman Abramovich
Roman Abramovich
Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich is a Russian businessman and the main owner of the private investment company Millhouse LLC.In 2003, Abramovich was named Person of the Year by Expert, a Russian business magazine. He shared this title with Mikhail Khodorkovsky...
in 2002. Abramovich had it refitted to his own preferences by HDW in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, Germany. This included an internal refit and the addition of a 16 feet (4.9 m) swim platform.
In June 2006, Abramovich gave Le Grand Bleu to its current owner, friend and business partner Eugene Shvidler
Eugene Shvidler
Evgeny Markovich Shvidler , also Eugene Shvidler, is a Russian oil businessman. Although not often referred to as one of the prominent business oligarchs, he still made his fortune in Russia during the privatization of Russian industry....
.
Le Grand Bleu is powered by two 3,600 hp Wärtsilä
Wärtsilä
Wärtsilä is a Finnish corporation which manufactures and services power sources and other equipment in the marine and energy markets. The core products of Wärtsilä include large combustion engines...
engines. Details about the interiors are scanty as Abramovich is protective of his family's privacy and highly security-conscious, but they were designed by Terence Disdale.
History
After departing the yard, Le Grand Bleu headed for the Mediterranean and caused quite a stir wherever it went. It was in MonacoMonaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
in May 2004, serving as a base for Abramovich during Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
's fixtures against AS Monaco
AS Monaco FC
Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club are a French football club based in Fontvieille, Monaco. The club was founded in 1924 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. The team plays its home matches at the Stade Louis II located within Fontvieille...
in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League 2003-04
The 2003–04 UEFA Champions League was the 12th season of UEFA's premier European club football tournament, the UEFA Champions League, since its rebranding from the European Cup in 1992, and the 49th tournament overall...
.
The yacht needed work when it visited New Zealand over the Christmas New Year period of 2006/7. The work was carried out by Yachtwork .
Its latest drydock and refit was in Port Canaveral, FL in 2008. This refit included a new "green" wastewater treatment system in addition to the current Lloyd's certified system. The new treatment system allows the ship to reuse the wastewater after treatment rather than discharging the wastewater overboard into the sea. As of January 2010, it could frequently be seen docked in Nassau, Bahamas. The boat also boasts two additional yachts on individual cranes that it carries on the topside of the aft of the boat. One 70 ft sailboat on the port side, and a 65 ft powerboat on the starboard side.