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Roman Abramovich's secret weapon

R oman Abramovich's latest extravagance, Eclipse, probably so-called because it's almost big enough to block out the sun, is the world's largest mega-yacht. Measuring 557ft long, it boasts two swimming pools, two helipads and an onboard missile defence system. And, just in case any missiles do get through, it comes complete with an escape pod: its own submarine. Its most curious feature, however, defends it against an altogether more insidious weapon: the prying eyes of the paparazzi.

The boat's anti-paparazzi system, described in several reports as a "laser shield", is a little less science fiction than it sounds. The lasers – beams of infrared light – are used to detect the electronic light sensors that digital cameras use instead of film. The camera is then targeted with a focused beam of bright light that disrupts the potential photo, making any shots unusable. It's not so much a space-age Star Wars laser shield, then, as a big budget version of shining a torch in someone's face.

A similar technology is already available to all in the form of an anti-paparazzi purse, devised by New York University student Adam Harvey, which detects the flash of a camera and responds with a bright flash of its own, cloaking the intended target in a blob of white light. Nigel Atherton, editor of What Digital Camera, explains, "You couldn't stop them taking a picture but you could ruin the picture." Eclipse's anti-paparazzi defence grid, he suspects, "is essentially a large-scale version of that."

What makes Eclipse's system special is that it can detect any digital camera, whether it's using a flash or not, and before the first shot. But Abramovich's shield still has a serious weakness: it can't possibly detect the presence of an old-fashioned analogue or mechanical camera.

So for £724m, he's got himself a boat that digital-camera-wielding paparazzi can't photograph, say, falling over outside a nightclub at 3am. It's a shame really. That's exactly the sort of memory you'd want to capture.

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Eclipse – The World’s Most Expensive Private Yacht

In the world of soccer, Roman Abramovich is a popular figure as he owns the leading English club, Chelsea. The Russian businessman helped the Blues become a big spender in the transfer market, bringing brilliant players like Arjen Robben, Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres, etc. to offer the beautiful game to club supporters across the world.

In addition to the Chelsea football team, which is a beauty on soccer fields, Abramovich owns another marvel: a private yacht named Eclipse.

The 162.5m-long beauty Eclipse is the world’s second-largest and one of the most expensive superyachts. Its estimated cost is 590 million (€340 million), and its current owner has owned it since December 2010.

A synonym for luxury, this superyacht is best suited for all adventure and water sports activities and provides splendid trips to cultural and historical destinations.

Built by renowned German shipbuilder Blohm + Voss, the Eclipse was launched in June 2009 after five years of design, development, and testing. Before its final delivery, several sea trials were conducted starting in May 2009 at Kristiansand, Norway.

When delivered, Eclipse won the spot for the largest superyacht in the world, beating the 162m-long M/Y Dubai of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. Eclipse retained the title until the arrival of the 180m-long Azzam, UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s private yacht in 2013. Currently managed by Blue Ocean Yacht Management, Eclipse was selected as the Motor Yacht of the Year in 2011 at the World Superyacht Awards.

Specifications of Eclipse Yacht

As mentioned earlier, this tremendous superyacht measures 162.5m (533’1″ft) in length, 22.00m (72’2″ft) in width and 5.90m (19’4″ft) in the draft, offering a vast area for luxurious leisure activities. The Bermuda-flagged Lloyds Register class yacht has a Gross Tonnage of 13000 tonnes.

Eclipse is powered by a diesel-electric, dual propulsion system with four MTU 20V 1163 TB93 marine diesel engines, offering the latest propulsion technology for maximum speed performance. These engines power the rotating Azipod drives, giving the yacht a maximum speed of 25 knots and a cruise speed of 22. Featuring 1,000,000 litres of fuel tanks, Eclipse can travel up to 6,000 nautical miles at 21 knots before refuelling. The boat also can store about 150,000 litres of freshwater abroad.

Interior and Exterior Design

While Blohm + Voss provided the naval architecture, Terence Disdale Design carried out the superstructure design of the Eclipse. The UK-based award-winning firm was also responsible for interior design, deck layouts, and construction supervision.

Incidentally, the vessel’s construction was performed with great secrecy, and due to this reason, the project was named Project Luxury Yacht M 147 throughout the construction period. However, the details of the technical design and construction of the yacht have not been revealed to the public; the design and layout are available for people to marvel at.

Divided into nine decks, the top deck of Eclipse is taken up by the helicopters and garage. The swimming pool and sundeck go on level eight, while level seven features a pool, atrium and an open deck. The salon, main dining hall and a 40ft X 60ft full-beam loggia are located on the sixth level, and the fourth floor features the main entrance of the yacht. While the next level of the yacht divides the cabins and suites of the owner, guests and crew, the second deck of the vessel acts as a docking port for the submarine. Level one accommodates the engine room, machinery, and a small disco club.

The superyacht with a displacement steel hull has an aluminium superstructure, while its decks become magnificent, featuring teak woods. To offer a smooth cruising experience, the yacht features an ultra-modern stabilization system that minimises the roll motion effect and is equipped with ‘at anchor stabilisers’ to increase comfort when the boat is stationary. Featuring the Art Deco interior design, with an innovative, technology-rich environment and the use of soft metallic fabrics, Eclipse offers a splendid living experience for its owner. With diverse facilities across the decks, the yacht meets the optimum standard of offering a leisure time platform.

The entire yacht has been bejewelled with features to make it more luxurious. Spread across many decks, Eclipse facilities abroad include a gym, dance floor, underwater lights, beach club, wifi connection, beauty salon, tender, garage, deck jacuzzi, etc. Further, the Eclipse holds two helipads and a 16 m swimming pool that can be converted into a dance floor. This motor yacht can accommodate three helicopters, two on both helipads and the third one in a storage hangar below the foredeck. Moreover, Eclipse also flaunts internal lifts, six tenders and an exterior fireplace on-board. The boat also features a place for a three-person private submarine that can go up to a depth of 160ft.

Eclipse is also one of the most technologically advanced yachts around the world.  The boat boasts the latest technology safety features, including motion sensors, bulletproof glass and antiballistic missile defence.  In fact, each cabin in the yacht comes with a private 6ft home cinema screen, a Jacuzzi, a spa and specialized security systems. According to reports, Eclipse has an anti-paparazzi system that detects the use of digital cameras to click photographs of the boat. Using lasers, the system detects digital cameras and disrupts a potential picture of the yacht, as those infrared lights can make it unstable.

Accommodation

The yacht has 11 staterooms and suites, totalling 6000 square feet. With this facility, Eclipse can house 30 guests and a 92-member staff crew abroad. The master suite, located on level five of the yacht, is 5000 square feet alone. In addition, the boat also has a pilothouse on level seven.

With all these facilities incorporated, maintaining the Eclipse is not a less expensive matter. An annual expense of over $60 million is reportedly required to maintain this luxury boat. According to media reports, Abramovich charges its customers around £ 175,000 to rent the vessel for a day.

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Disclaimer:  The authors’ views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight.  Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader.

The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight. 

About Author

Raunek Kantharia is a marine engineer turned maritime writer and entrepreneur. After a brief stint at the sea, he founded Marine Insight in 2010. Apart from managing Marine Insight, he also writes for a number of maritime magazines and websites.

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Roman Abramovich's Yacht Has Anti-Paparazzi Lasers And Missile Defence System

The super yacht was the largest in the world at the time it was built.

Claire Reid

Roman Abramovich’s incredible yacht comes complete with anti-paparazzi lasers, a missile defence system and a mini submarine. You can check it out here: 

The Russian billionaire, who has recently been sanctioned by the UK government, is the owner of a couple of superyachts – most notably Eclipse. 

The 533ft Eclipse was the largest privately-owned superyacht in the world when Abramovich got his hands on it in 2010. 

At the time it was made, the vessel was reported to have cost around £500 million, but since then it has earned itself the title of 'the $1.5billion yacht'.

And what did Abramovich get for his cash? Well, just about everything you could ever want or need, really. 

It’s home to 53 cabins, 32 of which are for crew, alongside a disco hall, aquarium, a couple of pools – one of which is the biggest ever to be installed on a private yacht – and two helipads. 

And alongside all the usual plush features you’d expect after splashing so much cash, the ship is also equipped with a range of security features. 

Among them are anti-paparazzi lasers that are somehow able to detect when a camera is pointed at the ship and then sends over a beam of infrared light so the snappers can’t get their photo. 

And it’s not just the paparazzi that guests will be safe from, according to Dennis Causier, a superyacht analyst with VesselsValue. 

He told AP the superyacht has a plethora of high-tech security features including armoured panic rooms and bullet-proof glass fitted in its windows. 

He said: “Eclipse is equipped with all sorts of special features, including missile launchers and self-defence systems on board. 

“It has a secret submarine evacuation area and things like that.”

The Chelsea owner is one of a number of Russians who have been hit with sanctions by the UK since the country invaded Ukraine. 

A government press release said: "As part of the UK’s leading efforts to isolate Putin and those around him, these oligarchs – who have a collective net worth of around £15bn – will have their assets in the UK frozen, they are banned from travelling here and no UK citizen or company may do business with them."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "There can be no safe havens for those who have supported Putin’s vicious assault on Ukraine.

"Today’s sanctions are the latest step in the UK’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian people. We will be ruthless in pursuing those who enable the killing of civilians, destruction of hospitals and illegal occupation of sovereign allies."

Topics:  Russia , World News

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

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From Safe Rooms to Escape Pods: Here’s How Yacht Owners Are Protecting Themselves From Pirates

Increasingly, manufacturers like bering yachts are providing a range of preventative safety features to yacht owners., michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories.

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In the yachting world, self-defense has gone on the offensive. Roman Abramovich’s 533-foot Eclipse is rumored to have an antimissile defense system, while the 165-foot Thunder could potentially launch missiles of its own, thanks to Australian builder Oceanfast’s military pedigree. “Its multi-fin stabilization system was designed to keep the deck level for firing projectiles—even in big seas, the boat doesn’t roll,” says former captain Max Burgazli. “Another plus is that nobody spills their drinks.”

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Other gigayachts have reportedly incorporated safe rooms, and the current demand for submersibles includes those who consider them potential escape pods. For pleasure cruisers, such high-stress considerations might seem counterintuitive, but yacht owners are increasingly adding security to onboard must-have lists, even on smaller yachts.

If missiles are too extreme, perhaps bulletproofing is the way to go. Bering Yachts is now working with the luxury-vehicle armorer Trasco Bremen GmbH to reinforce its 80- to 180-ft expedition yachts. Armoring your vessel “doesn’t mean you’re going to Somalia,” says Bering CEO Alexei Mikhailov. “Random crime can happen anywhere.”

Bering and Trasco focus on the pilothouse and engine room, both vulnerable points during an attack. “Instead of a panic room, where people wait for help, it makes more sense to protect areas where owners and crew still control the yacht,” says Trasco CEO Sergej Lizun. “They lock themselves in, summon help and head for shore.”

Armoring a yacht can cost from $400,000 to $600,000, depending on the yacht’s size and details. Protected areas include the roof, the door and upgraded glass rated to bulletproof VPAM Level 6, able to withstand repeated rounds from an AK-47. The reinforcements can add up to 10,000 pounds to the boat’s weight, so it makes more sense on an explorer yacht than a planing vessel. And the structure isn’t just a steel box; the armored frame needs to be grenade-proof while still allowing for entry points to accommodate cables, vents and special locks, while the doors and walls overlap to protect from angled shots.

Thunder superyacht .  Courtesy IYC

Beyond armored rooms, Mikhailov prescribes a combination of anti-piracy deterrents such as long-range acoustic devices that emit high-pitched noises to repel invaders, a green-light “dazzle” gun to disorient attackers and motion detectors on the decks. “Incident rehearsals” that simulate the yacht being besieged by pirates (or paparazzi) are popular for training crew, especially after something untoward has happened, says Horst Ruetten,

CEO of I.B.S. International Operative Services , a German firm specializing in superyacht security. The company has seen service requests rise 5 to 10 percent each year since 2016. Need more? IBS can also provide sonar for underwater surveillance, anti-drone systems for aerial protection, armed ex-military for questionable voyages or advisement on upcoming builds. Ruetten says client requests for these defensive systems are rare compared to, say, intruder detection systems. “We do a lot more consulting during the build and refit processes for risk analysis and protection concepts,” he says.

One last tip, from Bering’s Mikhailov: If all else fails, reverse the yacht’s stabilizers to try to literally shake attackers off the boat. “It clears the decks fast,” he says. And it’s far cheaper than an antimissile system.

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Roman Abramovich's superyacht has missile defence system and anti-paparazzi lasers

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's yacht, Eclipse, has modern tech to protect guests, from bullet-proof windows toa missile-detection system and even a mini escape submarine

• 12:26, 11 Mar 2022

Roman Abramovich has two prized assets that look out of reach - his enormous superyachts.

The Chelsea owner has been hit by sanctions from the UK government and faces the prospect of having £3.2billion of assets in this country frozen after being identified as having links to Vladimir Putin and the Russian state.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said yesterday that oligarchs like Abramovich have "no place in our society or economy", adding: "The blood of the Ukrainian people is on their hands. They should hang their heads in shame."

Abramovich, who according to The Sunday Times Rich List is worth a staggering £10.2billion, has a property empire across the world, including a west London mansion, Colorado ski-ranch and chateau on the French Riviera.

The Chelsea owner has a collection of helicopters and commercial-sized planes valued at around £400m, which includes his customised jet nicknamed "Bandit".

Abramovich also boasts a huge collection of supercars worth more than £16m and even splashed out £285,000 just on a number plate.

But the Russian billionaire is really known for being the world's greatest spender on luxury yachts, maintaining a fleet which was dubbed 'Abramovich's Navy'.

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Abramovich, who used to have a vast collection of super yachts, now only has two but they completely dwarf his old ones in size.

The crown jewel is Abramovich's 533ft super yacht Eclipse, which at the time of launch was the largest privately owned superyacht in the world.

Eclipse was originally contracted at a price of around £500million but is now known as 'the $1.5billion yacht'.

Winning the record Euromillions jackpot of £189million five times over would still not give you enough cash to purchase Abramovich's vessel.

Weighing in at 13,564 tons, Eclipse was the world'largest private yacht for around three years until the Azzam was built in 2013.

Designed by French architect Hermidas Atabeyki, it was built by Blohm and Voss in 2010, with the interior kitted out by Terence Disdale.

There is more accommodation for crew than guests, with 35 of the 53 cabins for the workers, who also get their own private cinema.

The superyacht has enough space on board for two helipads, an aquarium, multiple hot tubs, disco hall and two separate swimming pools.

One of the pools is the biggest ever placed on a private yacht and can be drained out to become a dance floor.

But most interesting of all is the modern technology Eclipse is kitted out with to give its guests privacy and protection from all sorts of threats.

Abramovich's yacht has anti-paparazzi lasers, which can detect the electronic light sensors that cameras use before they even flash.

They target the cameras with beams of infrared light which overexposes the photos, rendering them useless to anyone trying to get a snap, although it doesn't work on an old-fashioned mechanical camera.

There is also bullet-proof glass and armour-plating around Abramovich's personal quarters and a mini submarine that fits three people and could be used as an escape pod.

The newest addition to his fleet is the £430million Solaris, a 430ft vessel which took to the seas for the first time last year.

It is the most costly custom-made superyacht ever built with 48 cabins across eight decks, a crew of 60 and space for 36 guests.

To put into perspective how large Solaris is, the superyacht is bigger and taller than Buckingham Palace.

Abramovich has cut down to just two superyachts, but previously owned an entire fleet which he would loan out to his pals.

The two biggest were Pelorus and Luna, which were both 377ft and cost £274million and £276million respectively.

Pelorus was given to his second wife, Irina Vyacheslavovna Abramovich, as part of their divorce settlement in 2009 while Luna was sold to a close friend, Azerbaijani-born billionaire Farkhad Akhmedov, in April 2014.

Luna had been his replacement for the £110million and 371ft Le Grand Bleu, as both were expedition yachts with stronger hulls capable of providing comfort while navigating through high seas and inhospitable climates such as the North and South Poles.

Other vessels owned by the billionaire include the £110million Ecstasea (282ft) and £16million Sussurro (162ft).

Some of the yachts have been loaned out to some of Chelsea's players, including John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

After Chelsea won the Premier League in 2005, Terry and Lampard were given use of the Pelorus as a 'bonus', then two years later Terry and his wife Toni set sail on the yacht for their honeymoon.

On Thursday it was announced that a further seven oligarchs would be sanctioned by the UK government over their links to Putin amid his war on Ukraine .

Giving a warning, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "There can be no safe havens for those who have supported Putin's vicious assault on Ukraine.

"We will be ruthless in pursuing those who enable the killing of civilians, destruction of hospitals and illegal occupation of sovereign allies."

One of the oligarchs, Igor Sechin, has already seen his 289-ft yacht 'Amore Vero' seized by French custom officers near Marseille after being sanctioned by the European Union .

But it seems Abramovich is making sure that no one will be able to get their hands on his superyachts.

Eclipse was moored in Barcelona last week but is now in open sea off the coast of the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.

While Solaris was last spotted off the Sicily coast and is now believed to be heading to Israel, which is where Abramovich holds citizenship.

A spokesperson for the Russian billionaire said: "We never comment on the movements of the yacht or any other vehicles or vessels."

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Keeping Roman Abramovich safe on his $590 million megayacht is an onboard anti-missile defense system, a futuristic laser shield, an escape pod, a submarine, and three helicopters.

To understand how rich Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich truly is, take a look at his ultra-expensive toys! We are giving our readers a blow-by-blow account of the Russian businessman’s nearly 550 feet long Eclipse superyacht which continues to be one of the world’s largest superyachts . The Chelsea F.C. owner boasts an envious collection of rich-boy things like an $80 million private jet with gold fittings, a banquet hall, an anti-missile system, and more. Then there is the $610 million megayacht, Solaris, which also flaunts state-of-the-art security, including a radar-controlled missile detection system, bulletproof windows, and armored protection. The Eclipse mega yacht, however, will always be known for unparalleled elegance, best-in-class features, and robust design features:

Eclipse yacht: It is safe to say the Eclipse yacht is so grand and impressive that it does eclipse other similar sea-farers. Designed by Terry Disdale over four and half years, the only brief given was enough space for helicopters, large windows, and a big pool. Other than these guidelines, the designer was given free rein.

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Roman Abramovich’s super-yacht is Paparazzi-proof

Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich has installed a laser based anti-paparazzi shield on his new record breaking mega yacht – the Eclipse. Measuring 557ft long, it boasts two swimming pools, two helipads and an onboard missile defence system. The boat’s anti-paparazzi system, described in several reports as a “laser shield”, is a little less science fiction […]

Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich has installed a laser based anti-paparazzi shield on his new record breaking mega yacht – the Eclipse .

Measuring 557ft long, it boasts two swimming pools, two helipads and an onboard missile defence system.

The boat’s anti-paparazzi system, described in several reports as a “laser shield”, is a little less science fiction than it sounds. The lasers – beams of infrared light – are used to detect the electronic light sensors that digital cameras use instead of film.

The camera is then targeted with a focused beam of bright light that disrupts the potential photo, making any shots unusable.

What makes Eclipse’s system special is that it can detect any digital camera , whether it’s using a flash or not, and before the first shot.

The boat has reportedly more than doubled in cost to $1.2 billion since it was commissioned three years ago.

Via Guardian – Timesonline – Photo: Getty Image / Swim

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Can Abramovich's anti-paparazzi laser shield work?

Probably not, according to its Georgia Tech inventors

Billionaire Roman Abramovich shouldn't rely on an anti-paparazzi laser shield to protect his privacy on board his new super-yacht: it probably won't work on most digital SLRs or any film snappers.

In a write-up of Abramovich's £725 million Eclipse boat, The Sunday Times revealed that the Chelsea boss had invested in a system that "fires a focused beam of light at camera's CCDs, disrupting its ability to record a digital image."

However, researchers at Georgia Tech university in the USA who developed a very similar system in 2006 warned that it would be unable to protect against the digital SLRs used by most news photographers.

Professor Gregory Abowd's system used off-the-shelf equipment - camera-mounted sensors, lighting equipment, a projector and a computer - to scan for, find and neutralise digital cameras. The system worked by looking for the reflectivity and shape of the CCD sensors used in some digital cameras.

It worked on the principle that CCDs are retroreflective - they reflect light directly back at its source, like road signs. This allows a laser to scan for them, detect its own reflection and increase the power to effectively blind the sensor momentarily.

However, the Georgia Tech system was designed to work in a dark cinema, seeking out would-be pirates filming movies on domestic video cameras, where the CCD sensor is exposed many times a second. How effective it would be in bright sunlight is less clear. "The biggest problem is making sure we don't get false positives from, say, a large shiny earring," said a researcher on the project, Jay Summet.

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Summet also warned that such camera-neutralising tech may never work against single lens reflex cameras, which use a folding mirror that masks the CCD except when a photo is actually being taken. Moreover, anti-digital techniques don't work on conventional film cameras because they have no image sensor. Also, many modern SLRs now use CMOS rather CCD sensors.

Still, Abramovich shouldn't feel too hard done by. The 557-foot Eclipse still boasts a mini submarine, two helipads and a missile defence system...

Mark Harris is Senior Research Director at Gartner.

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