Terraces in the middle of the sea of the Costa Smeralda. In Porto Cervo, Porto Rotondo, Cannigione and Portisco the mega yachts arrived as had not happened in recent years: dream June - say the port managers - excellent July and normal August, that is, sold out. The Russian oligarchs, absent after the freezing of their assets, were replaced by American financiers, the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi and Ibrahimovic, the football player with a cult of himself. Within the Costa Smeralda Consortium, 3,114 hectares of paradise, 55 kilometers of coastline and 95% of greenery, the Scroogers arrived with a total personal fortune of 261 billion dollars aboard boats that are worth four billion.

A jewel on the water

The first of the largest yachts in the world to dock on the island was that of the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi, Mansour Al Nahyan. It's called Blue, 160 meters long, it hosts 48 people with eighty crew members. Just over 15 thousand tons of tonnage, the sheikh, who according to Superyachtfan estimates has a fortune of 38 billion dollars, this jewel of shipbuilding and technology has cost six hundred million dollars. We can say that Mansour has "replaced" the Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov who owns the Dilbar yacht, the largest in the world.

Ibra's summer

No concession to the baroque for the super yacht “Uknown” of the Oasis series by the Italian shipyard Benetti, purchased by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the 41-year-old AC Milan footballer. The ship, launched this year in Livorno, is 34 meters long and has a sibylline name, Uknown, that is, unknown; spread over five decks with five suites. In this hot summer, Ibra sailed along the Costa Smeralda and stopped for a long time in Cala di Volpe. A super boat of this type would cost 128,000 euros a week to rent but the Swedish footballer preferred to buy it for twenty million dollars. Also moored in Cala di Volpe is the Moneikos, worth 40 million, belonging to the family of Leonardo Del Vecchio, founder of Luxottica, an example of a self-made entrepreneur, who passed away in June of this year. On board one of the daughters who will have to manage 12 per cent of the company's shares; the rest is divided between the other five children and the widow.

The rich of the world

In the last two months, many American industrialists have arrived in Sardinia on board authentic luxury ships. We mention, among others, the yacht Kaos of Nancy Walton Laurie, of the Walmart family, Legend of the former Google president Eric Schmidt, Limitless of Les Wexner of Victoria's Secrets and Symphony of Bernard Arnault, owner of the brands of the Louis Vuitton group, l man who has assets of 167.7 billion.

The most beautiful in the shop window

The online newspaper "Superyacht 24" has drawn up the ranking of the most beautiful boats in the shop windows in Porto Cervo in mid-August. Pearls of luxury from rental companies. The record goes to Polestar: 70.2 meters, built by Rossinavi to keep up the name of the national shipbuilding industry. The hull is in aluminum, the interiors amaze for the innovative aesthetic solutions and for the choice of lighting that defines the environments. Twelve guests and 17 staff members.

Ready to rent

The silver medal goes to Elise, 60.15 meters, built in the United States; it develops with an elevated owner's suite, a large sky lounge, a hydromassage tub in the bow to enjoy navigation. The podium is closed by Rush, 49.9 meters, a boat with a sporting character, hull and superstructure in fiberglass. In fourth place Solinda of Feadship, (50 meters), with white and blue exteriors and brightly colored interiors curated by a Dutch studio. Followed by Pellegrina, the 49.5-meter Couach, the largest yacht to come out of the French shipyard, 12 meters high, built with carbon kevlar. Finally, O'Ceanos arrived on the Sardinian docks, built by the Italian shipyard Mondo Marine, available for charter for up to 12 guests in 7 cabins.

The repercussions of the supply chain

Northern Sardinia and Corsica are confirmed as one of the main destinations for luxury yachts with important repercussions on the local economy. A study by The Europeans House has calculated a value of more than eight thousand euros of the economic impact on the territory for a yacht between 36 and 50 meters.

The repercussions do not benefit the marinas alone, (in this period the cost of mooring for boats up to 55 meters is on average around 3,500 euros per day), but concern numerous services, from hotels to florists, from restaurants to markets. . The next step will be to create the conditions for winter storage in Olbia of yachts over twenty-four meters.

Alfredo Franchini

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