Seized $600M superyacht burns $2,500 of diesel every hour just to run air conditioning and keep Monet paintings safe
Published on Nov 09, 2026 at 3:01 PM (UTC-5)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Nov 09, 2026 at 3:01 PM (UTC-5)
Edited by
Mason Jones
This seized $600 million superyacht burned $2,500 worth of diesel every hour – and that was just to keep the air conditioning running and the Monet paintings inside of it safe.
The Sailing Yacht A already sounds like the fanciest vessel, so it’s no wonder that its owner was a billionaire.
After the Russian owner found himself on the receiving end of sanctions, his yacht was seized in Italy.
It has since proved to be especially expensive for Italian taxpayers.
There are some seriously impressive – and costly – superyachts out there
Sometimes we judge how pricey a superyacht is by its upfront costs.
But often, the real bank drainer is what you don’t see – the running costs.
There are some superyachts out there with some seriously eye-watering budgets.
This Abu Dhabi Sheikh’s $180 million superyacht cost $18 million to run each year, while Jeff Bezos’ Koru cost a similarly staggering amount.
Generally speaking, the annual running cost is estimated to be worth 10 percent of the yacht’s initial value.
But these prices tend to be for when the superyacht is actually in motion.
Things look slightly different when those yachts are stationary.
Why was this $600m superyacht seized?
You’ll recall a lot of Russian assets were seized back in 2022 and one such asset was the superyacht of Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko.
Sailing Yacht A was in the port of the Italian city of Trieste when it was seized in March 2022.
And it’s remained there ever since, racking up quite a hefty bill for Italian taxpayers, who are understandably frustrated.
Why is the Sailing Yacht A burning $2,500 of diesel every hour?
Even though this boat hasn’t moved in nearly five years, it still requires attention and carre.
Switching off the air conditioning would damage the valuable paintings sitting inside, which includes works from acclaimed artists like Claude Monet.
According to French newspaper Le Parisien, Sailing Yacht A costs approximately $30,000 a day in upkeep.
That’s $11 million a year on the Italian taxpayers’ dime.
In part, that money goes toward paying the cleaning staff of 20 people, who are keeping its onboard systems running.
Generator fuel, insurance, and climate control to protect the paintings also factor into the cost.
Reportedly 400 gallons of diesel are consumed each hour, which comes to around $2,500 worth of diesel an hour.
All of this leads to a very expensive stationary boat, and the mayor of Trieste, Roberto Dipiazza, isn’t happy about it.
He branded the public costs a ‘disgrace’ and threatened to sell the boat or sail it away.
“It will eventually cost him less to buy a new yacht than to pay back all we have spent,” Dipazza told CNN.
“And where does that leave us? We could be paying for this monstrosity for years.”
It’s undoubtedly salt in the wound that this is the yacht that was once dubbed the ‘world’s ugliest yacht’.
So it’s not only expensive, but in the minds of some people, it’s an eye-sore too.
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Ben joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025 after being published by international organizations including LADbible, The Sun, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail. He covers supercars, rare and collectible vehicles, aviation, luxury assets, and the fascinating people behind them. His reporting has explored everything from seven-figure supercars and historic Ferrari collections to unusual aircraft adventures and extraordinary automotive discoveries from around the world. Ben has also gained first-hand insight into vehicle craftsmanship and customization, including visiting specialist workshops to see bespoke vehicles up close.
