Le Grand Bleu (yacht)

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Le Grand Bleu is one of the largest private yachts in the world at 370 feet (114 metres) in length. She was built at the Vulkan yard in Germany and was launched in 2000. She was previously owned by an American businessman who sold her to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2002. Abramovich had her refitted to his own requirements by HDW in Kiel. This included an internal refit, and the addition of a 16ft swim platform.

Le Grand Bleu is powered by two 3,600-hp Wärtsilä engines. Details about the interiors are scanty as Abramovich is protective of his family's privacy and highly security conscious, but they were designed by Terence Disdale.

After departing the yard, Le Grand Blue headed for the Mediterranean and caused quite a stir wherever she went—and not always for good reasons. She was in Monaco in May 2004, serving as a base for Abramovich during Chelsea F.C.'s (unsuccessful) attempts to beat AS Monaco in the UEFA Champions League. In the weeks prior to that, singer Shirley Bassey complained to The Daily Express that the “big and ugly and new-fangled” behemoth blocked her view of the harbor from her hilltop home in Capri.

In June 2006, Abramovich gave away Le Grand Bleu to friend Eugene Shvidler.