London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

Superyacht detained in London under Russia sanctions, says Shapps

Superyacht detained in London under Russia sanctions, says Shapps

Vessel owned by Russian businessman is first to be held in UK after invasion of Ukraine

The vessel, known as Phi, is subject to the first detention of a superyacht in UK waters, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said, and its owner was “deliberately well hidden”. The company to which the ship is registered is based in the islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis and it carried Maltese flags to hide its origins, the NCA said.

The law does not require proof or suspicion the owner is closely tied to the Putin regime, merely they are a Russian national, sources told the Guardian, and the owner is understood not to be an individual facing sanctions.

Guy Booth, a New Zealander based in Brighton, is captain of Phi and has posted several pictures of the vessel on his Instagram feed.

Booth, an experienced superyacht seaman, was appointed as “owner’s representative” and “build captain” to oversee the construction of the yacht in 2019, according to his LinkedIn profile. Booth did not respond to requests for comment on the identity of the owner.

Booth has previously said the owner proposed “thousands of crazy ideas” for what he wanted from the yacht , including a “penthouse” apartment on the upper deck.

“From the early days, it was fairly clear that this owner’s vision would take a unique combination of some extraordinary skills,” Booth said in 2020. “The owner knew that he wanted a deep, intelligent and thought-provoking core concept, that reflects elements of several great personal interests.”

In November, Booth posted a photo of the yacht with the caption “MY Phi just started the first day of trials” when the boat completed its first openwater tests in the North Sea.

The yacht was designed by the Dutch superyacht designer Cor D Rover, which has previously said: “Rather than just building a large yacht on a so-called shipyard ‘platform’ to enjoy the pleasures of being at sea, the owner of Phi wanted to build a yacht with a profound underlying story, a deep-rooted knowledge that runs through all aspects of the yacht, from her exterior appearance all the way to internal experience.”

The yacht was in London for a World Superyacht Awards judging panel event that took place on Monday at the five-star Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge. It had been planning to depart at noon on Tuesday.

The Guardian has approached Booth for comment.

Officers from the NCA’s “combating kleptocracy cell” served the detention notice after identifying the owner with support from the Border Force maritime intelligence bureau and passing the information to the transport secretary, Grant Shapps.

Grant Shapps standing in front of the superyacht in Canary Wharf.


At 58.5 metres long, Phi is the third biggest yacht built by the prestigious shipbuilders Royal Huisman and includes what the builders call an “infinite wine cellar” and patented fresh-water swimming pool.

Shapps, said impounding the vessel had “turned an icon of Russia’s power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies … Detaining the Phi, proves, yet again, that we can and will take the strongest possible action against those seeking to benefit from Russian connections,” he said.

Phi – named after the 21st letter of the Greek alphabet, used to symbolise the golden ratio – made its maiden voyage last year after being built in the Netherlands.

Shapps said: “Now the ship is being held, it won’t be going anywhere … it’s just another indication that we will not stand by whilst Putin’s cronies are allowed to sail around the world in these kinds of yachts and people in Ukraine are suffering. When you see what he’s doing to Ukraine, when you see what he’s doing to people’s lives, it can’t be right to have a yacht like this here in London, able to just sail away and that is why we’ve impounded it, and denied it the ability to go anywhere right now, and it’s another indication of how seriously we take these matters.”

The prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “For the first time ever in UK waters we have detained a Russian super-yacht, the £38m Phi. The Department for Transport (DfT) has worked closely with the National Crime Agency and Border Force maritime investigation bureau to intercept this superyacht. We will continue to take robust action against anyone benefiting from Russian links.”

The Department for Transport said it was looking at a number of other vessels and hoped its “strong stance sends an example to international partners”.

Up to 12 guests are accommodated onboard Phi, and it also has accommodation for 11 crew, including the captain, according to Super Yacht Times. The vessel was last sold in 2018.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
×