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By: Tim Plaehn, Marinefuel.com News
September 4, 2009
Saddam Hussein’s 270 ft. super luxury yacht is for sale. The asking price by the Iraqi government is a mere $30 million. Sure the experts say it will take another $30M to bring it up to modern standards, but it is probably perfect as is for our yet un-named, soon-to-be-super-yacht-owning dictator.
The yacht was built in 1981 in Denmark, ordered by Saddam. Every employee working on the project was sworn to secrecy. Originally named the Qadissiyet Saddam, the boat has also been know as Basrah Breeze and Ocean Breeze. It appears that security conscious (or paranoid) Mr. Hussein spent little or no time on the yacht. The vessel spent most of it’s time docked in Saudi Arabia with a crew of 35 ready to go anytime Saddam wanted.
Saddam Hussein Yacht
The yacht has all of the luxuries the 1980’s could offer. Some of the features include “acres of marble and gold” and “deep pile carpets in lurid colours and rugs woven with views of holy cities”. Gold faucets are a given, of course. Reports have the yacht holding either 10 or 27 bedrooms, a dining room for 200, movie theatre, helipad and several swimming pools. Dictator friendly amenities include bullet proof glass, a medical center, a missile launching system and a secret escape tube leading to a mini-submarine. A USA Today article suggested the submarine may still be on board. More pictures courtesy of the UK Guardian can be found here.
After Saddam’s demise the yacht mysteriously appeared in Nice with a “For Sale” sign hanging from the rail. The new Iraq government had the French government seize the vessel and sued for ownership. The latest reports have the Iraqis in possession and moving to an Iraq port. I have not seen anything contrary to the fact that the Iraqi government still has the yacht and wants to sell it. The financial crisis has definitely slowed the sales of $30 million yachts with Arabesque arches and colors to match the desert sunset.
The 270 ft. Basrah Breeze was not even Saddam’s biggest boat. He also owned the yacht Al-Mansur (The Victor). The Al-Mansur was 394 ft. long. This may be the vessel that had the 27 bedrooms! Ironically, “The Victor” was bombed and sunk by the U.S. military in early 2003.
Cristina Kirchner, President of Argentina
I think I know the perfect owner for the Basrah/Ocean Breeze. Not really a dictator, and not really a third world country (but working on it!), I think Cristina Kirchner, president of Argentina would be the perfect buyer’s for Saddam’s old run about.
Sources: USA Today, Guardian UK
