Flying Fox. Image courtesy of Guillaume Plisson for Imperial Yachts

The 136-metre ‘gigayacht’ Flying Fox – the largest charter yacht globally, and one of the most recognisable superyachts in the world – has been removed from the US sanctions list, allowing it to be chartered globally without restrictions. The removal was confirmed by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on 30 September 2024.

Flying Fox was originally sanctioned in June 2022 due to its association with Imperial Yachts, a Monaco-based brokerage firm linked to Russian elites following the invasion of Ukraine. The firm provided “yacht-related services to Russia’s elites, including those in President Putin’s inner circle”, according to OFAC. Imperial halted its commercial activities and went into liquidation in the same month.

Flying Fox is now available for charter through Bluewater Yachting Dubai, which had initially listed the vessel for UK and EU citizens in January 2024, while restrictions for US citizens and waters remained in place. The firm has confirmed that all clients, including Americans, can now charter the vessel, as well as all brokers, including those from the United States.

The yacht, delivered by German shipyard Lürssen in 2019, features a design by renowned Norwegian designer Espen Øino and opulent interiors by Mark Berryman. Lürssen is known for delivering some of the world’s largest and most extravagant supeyachts, such as the 122m superyacht Kismet, delivered earlier this year.

With a gross tonnage of 9,022 GT, Flying Fox is noted for its extravagant features, including the largest transverse swimming pool of any yacht and the first “cryo-sauna” on a yacht. The yacht is also equipped with dual helipads, which can accommodate the largest helicopters on the market, as well as a professional dive centre, a two-deck spa covering 400 square metres, three Jacuzzis, and both indoor and outdoor cinemas.

Flying Fox can accommodate up to 22 guests across 11 cabins, in addition to a crew of 55, resulting in a crew-to-guest ratio of approximately two to one. The owner’s suite spans the entire upper deck and includes a full-beam primary suite, a lounge, a beauty room, an office, and a terrace with a fire pit and Jacuzzi. The remaining cabins include seven double cabins and three twin cabins, all designed with luxury and comfort in mind.

The yacht is expected to be chartered in various locations, including the Red Sea, the Seychelles and the Maldives, and is currently lying off the coast of Kuah in Malaysia, according to marine tracking data.

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