Following Russian-owned Superyacht Nord’s problematic stopover in Hong Kong, the vessel is now on course to arrive in Cape Town, South Africa. According to BusinessTech, the 142-metre yacht weighed anchor on the 20th of October and departed for South Africa from Hong Kong. Nord is expected to arrive in Cape Town on the 9th of November.

Geordin Hill-Lewis, Cape Town’s mayor, called on the government to not allow the yacht to enter the city’s port. As previously reported by SuperyachtNews, Nord is owned by Alexey Mordashov, who has been sanctioned by the EU, the UK and the US due to his close ties with Vladimir Putin. Mordashov’s business in the steel industry, part of Russia's key strategy in its war efforts. 

Bloomberg reported that Hill-Lewis has written to South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, requesting her intervention in blocking the entry of the yacht and asking that Mordashov be denied entry to the country:

“To the best of our knowledge, Mr Mordashov is aboard the vessel and intends to enter South Africa through the port of Cape Town. If this happens, Mr Mordashov — and his luxury yacht — will be considered to be guests of the South African state,” the Cape Town mayor said. A spokesperson for Mordashov informed the press that the Russian billionaire has been in Moscow since the yacht arrived in Hong Kong and declined to comment on Nord’s movements. 

Hill-Lewis recognised the illegality of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and pointed out the evidence of war crimes committed against Ukraine’s civilians:

“The founding provisions of our constitution state our nation’s commitment to human dignity and the advancement of human rights and freedoms. To welcome an accomplice to state terrorism against innocent people to our shores as a guest would be a violation of these values. If Mordashov is allowed to dock and enter, I believe this is something which we will come not only to feel ashamed of as a matter of our own morality but it will also lower our reputation and standing among the peace-loving nations of the world.”

Hill-Lewis concluded: “I call on minister Pandor, therefore, to bar Mordashov’s docking in Cape Town and his entry into the republic.”

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