Kristiansand

A £200 million superyacht became the world’s most expensive courier when she sailed to Norway to collect three Monet paintings.

The 400ft-long ship, owned by the Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, was custom-built for him by the Blohm & Voss company, which made the German battleship Bismarck. Its interior was designed by Philippe Starck complete with glass roof looking up into one of the two swimming pools.

There is a luxury loft-style living space as well as six cabins for guests and quarters for 42 staff. Mr Melnichenko, who made his £4.6 billion fortune from banking and the energy industries, is believed to have chosen Norway as the delivery point for the unidentified paintings to avoid EU import taxes. The ship, named A after Mr Melnichenko’s wife Aleksandra, is registered in Bermuda, weighs 5,900 tonnes and can travel at speeds of up to 23 knots (27mph). Mr Melnichenko, 36, is currently 172nd on the Forbes rich list.

The vessel is widely expected to outdo other superyachts, including those owned by his fellow Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. The world’s largest yacht registered with a private owner, however, is Rising Sun, owned by Larry Ellison, founder of the Oracle software company.

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