Such enormous yachts do not often appear in Thessaloniki. The “Madame Gu” yacht with length 99 meters and width equal to half of the height of the White Tower of Thessaloniki, is quite difficult to go unnoticed.
Her appearance, however, and the size – when launched in 2013 was the biggest motor yacht to be built in the shipyards of Holland and the 32nd largest in the world – are not the only factors that attract the interest of people.
The passengers of the luxurious yacht, have so far remained “invisible”. No one has seen them wandering in the city, so there is an intense speculation about their identity.
Speaking to ANA -MPA, President and CEO of the Port Authority of Thessaloniki, Stelios Aggeloudis, merely stated that this yacht travels across the world and is intended for use by rich people.
According to unconfirmed sources, the passengers are billionaires from New Zealand and Australia who travel all over the world on “Madame Gu” (which sails under the flag of the Cayman Islands).
Who is the owner?
But who is the owner of the yacht? Rumors say that it belongs to the Russian billionaire Andrei Skoch. His father, Vladimir Skoch, holds – on behalf of his son – a 30% share in the USM Holdings company group which also includes the “Metalloinvest”, one of the biggest metal industries in the world.
Recently, however , the London law firm sent a letter to a specialized shipping website stating that Skoch does not own “Madame Gu”, despite the rumours. Therefore , the ownership of the yacht remains a puzzle, as well as the reasons of her visit to Thessaloniki: pleasure or business?
