The 142m-long Nord, a Russian-flagged luxury yacht linked to sanctioned Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov, sailed through the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend on a trip from Dubai to Muscat, Oman. The vessel left Dubai on Friday night and arrived at Al Mouj in Muscat on Sunday morning.
The crossing matters because the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical shipping channels, normally carrying about one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Private vessels have largely avoided the waterway since the outbreak of hostilities, and maritime traffic through the Gulf channel is now at a fraction of pre-war levels.
The Nord, estimated to be worth more than $500 million, is known for its swimming pool, submarine and helipad. Mordashov is not listed as the formal owner, but the yacht’s records indicate it was registered to a firm owned by his wife in 2022. He was targeted by western sanctions in 2022 after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The timing of the passage adds to the scrutiny. On Monday, Vladimir Putin hosted an Iranian delegation in St Petersburg, while Brent crude rose to $109 a barrel. The article says Tehran has been focusing diplomatic efforts on Russia as long-term peace negotiations stall, and that Iran has continued restricting shipping through the waterway after President Donald Trump announced US forces would impose a blockade on Iranian ports.
For now, the Nord’s trip reads as more than a routine arrival in Oman. It is a reminder that even as private traffic has thinned, the Strait of Hormuz remains a route where politics, sanctions and energy security meet in plain view.