Russian billionaire builds world’s first private ‘icebreaker’ ship worth £80m with helipad, sauna and deep-sea submarine
A RUSSIAN billionaire has built the world’s first private icebreaker – and it’s available for hire for a whopping £666,000 a WEEK.
The huge ship, La Datcha, features a deep-sea submarine, two helipads and snowmobiles – and once aboard, its crew can stay afloat without refuelling for 40 days.
The ship was built for mogul Oleg Tinkoff, although it can be rented out by super-rich adventurers by the week.
The vessel, which covers a whopping 253 feet from stern to bow, was commissioned by Mr Tinkoff, 52, and launched this week by shipbuilding firm Damen Yachting.
Its proud owner is founder and shareholder of Tinkoff Banks, according to newspaper Lenta.
Icebreakers are used to navigate through icy waters. They provide safe waterways for other boats and ships.
La Datcha was launched in the port city of Vlissingen in the Netherlands.
She cost a reported £80million to build.
The ship is able to spend up to 40 days at open sea without returning to port due to advanced fuel tank and waste disposal systems.
Crew members and guests can take out the snowmobiles, enjoy a sauna, visit the massage room or take a dip in one of two onboard hot tubs.
There are six cabins, each featuring a dressing room, toilet and a shower or bathtub.
The icebreaker, intended for travel to both poles as well as tropical regions, is designed to hold 24 crew members and 12 additional passengers.
Mr Tinkoff told media company Yacht Harbour: “The world is so big and our life is so short that we need to explore as much as possible.”
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He plans to use the private icebreaker for just 20 days a year, but will rent it out for the remainder of the time – provided its temporary captain can stump up almost £700,000 every week for its use.
The oligarch, who was diagnosed with coronavirus earlier this year, has spent $100million – or £79.1m – on the icebreaker’s construction, according to Lenta.
But that’s small change to Mr Tinkoff, who in 2016 boasted a net fortune of $1.2billion – or £950m – according to Forbes.