Captain Guy Booth has spoken out against the continued seizure of the 58.5-metre superyacht Phi, which has been the subject of years of legal battles in the UK. The superyacht was detained in 2022 under sanctions laws recently introduced in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and has remained in London’s Canary Wharf ever since, reportedly costing the owners more than £11 million.
The Phi, a Royal Hausmann masterpiece, was delivered in 2021 at a cost of £38 million, with an exterior designed by Cor D.Over and an interior designed by Lawson Robb. Design features include an upper floor “penthouse” for shipowners and a patented DEPP swimming pool that reduces freshwater usage by heating and treating water when the pool is not in use.
Powered by MTU engines, the boat reached a maximum speed of 22 knots and a cruising speed of 14 knots. This yacht can accommodate up to 12 guests and 11 crew members with ample luxury amenities. The Phi is believed to be owned by Vitaly Vasilievich Kochetkov, who also allegedly owns Heesen’s yacht AURELIA.
