Government Maintains Silence on Alfa Nero Sale During Ongoing Negotiations with Potential Buyer

By Zya Williams

The government has announced that it will refrain from discussing any matters regarding the Alfa Nero publicly until the vessel is sold.

Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister, Lionel Hurst, made this declaration during Thursday’s post-Cabinet press briefing, stating, “We agreed not to speak about the Alfa Nero in public because there are some negotiations taking place presently with a potential buyer, and we don’t want to spoil it. So until it is consummated, we have no intentions of making a public statement.”

Hurst elaborated, “As you know, the United States sanctions these wealthy Russians. They have tentacles that reach far, and we intend not only to abide by our own obligations, but by those imposed upon us as a result of treaty obligations and the like.”

He clarified that once the sale is completed and the buyer identified, an announcement will follow.

The 267-foot superyacht Alfa Nero has been docked in Falmouth Harbour for over two years. The government seized it in April 2023 and subsequently auctioned it.

However, the top bidder, US tech billionaire Eric Schmidt, withdrew his $67 million bid, citing legal obstacles preventing him from acquiring ownership of the vessel.