Abramovich’s floating palace moors in Petersburg.

Guests are arriving for the St Petersburg Economic Forum. It opens tomorrow but presidents, company executives and high-ranking officials have already begun to fly into the city on the Neva. Some have arrived by ship. [...]

Roman Abramovich has moored his yacht on the English Embankment. The luxury vessel, proudly named Pelorus, immediately became the object of great interest for the city’s tourists. The disciplined, English-speaking crew would not allow anyone near, however.

Abramovich was given such a privileged place by the city administration. Amazing to relate, but while other yachts attending international regattas or festivals have to pay no less than 3-4,000 dollars a day for a berth in the centre of Petersburg, our millionaire is paying nothing.

Sergei Martynov, head of the city’s central yacht club harbour, explained why. Like everyone else, Abramovich was content to use the harbour next to the Leningrad Exhibition Ground. However, the Pelorus which is 115 metres long simply could not get in. The city administration then decided that, to compensate the millionaire for this regrettable misunderstanding, they would let him have a VIP berth that it is used each year for foreign politicians and business leaders.

As concerns the yacht, Abramovich bought it from a Saudi prince for $129 million and it costs him $12 million a year to maintain. Pelorus has 22 guest rooms, decked out in antique style, its own cinema, open and covered swimming pools, a ballroom and a banqueting suite, and two helicopter landing-pads. There is also a cellar and an enormous kitchen. If necessary, Abramovich can therefore attend the forum while living in his own palace and invite guests to receptions on board. [...]

(Natalya Polyanskaya, Moskovsky komsomolets, 06.06.2008)