The 81.3-metre Alfa Nero has been sold for $40 million with Northrop & Johnson's Richard Higgins bringing the buyer and assistance from FEMA Management (Federal Emergency Management Agency) on the side of the seller. According to Northrop & Johnson, the yacht was on the market just ten days before closing.
The sale brings two years of legal wrangling and issues around unpaid crew wages to an end, following the yacht's arrest in 2022. At the time, she was put under investigation amid allegations that her owner was sanctioned and was later declared "abandoned" by the government of Antigua and Barbuda.
"The proceeds from the sale will be used to fulfill various obligations, including settling outstanding debts owed to creditors and the crew since the yacht’s arrival," read a statement by the Antigua Newsroom. "In addition to covering these debts, a portion of the proceeds will be allocated to address the $220 million funding gap [in the local government] recorded for the first half of 2024".
In June 2023, between her abandonment and current sale, she was sold at auction to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt for $67,000,677 but the sale was not finalised due to legal complications. This could be referring to a last-minute application by Flying Dutchman Overseas Limited (understood to be the registered owner of the vessel) to block the sale ahead of the auction.
Since then, "the extended stay of the vessel has presented significant financial, environmental, and other challenges for Antigua and Barbuda," according to a government spokesperson. Issues around vessel maintenance, fuel costs, legal fees and unpaid crew wages were all under scrutiny since the yacht's seizure.
Alfa Nero is notable for her aft deck pool which stretches 12 metres and can be raised to form a helipad or dancefloor- a feature that was especially impressive when the yacht was delivered in 2007. Nuvolari Lenard is responsible for her exterior design.
Read More/Crew of 81m Oceanco superyacht Alfa Nero awarded unpaid wages