UK detains superyacht owned by Russian businessman in London's Canary Wharf
March 29, 2022, 2:10 pm

UK detains superyacht owned by Russian businessman in London's Canary Wharf

Westminster Abbey in London (File photo: Pixabay)

The Swiss Info reported, citing Reuters, the UK government said on Tuesday, Britain has detained a 38 million pound ($49.67 million) superyacht owned by a Russian businessman which was docked in the Canary Wharf financial district of London.

The 58.5 metre Dutch-built yacht, named Phi, was detained under the government's Russian sanctions, the first time the regulations have been used to detain a ship.

The government said Phi is owned by a Russian businessman but that ownership was "deliberately well hidden", with the company the ship is registered to based in the islands of St Kitts and Nevis, and the ship carrying Maltese flags.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said in a statement: "Today we’ve detained a 38 million pound superyacht and turned an icon of Russia’s power and wealth into a clear and stark warning to Putin and his cronies."

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine (File photo: Euromaidan Press)

"Detaining the Phi proves, yet again, that we can and will take the strongest possible action against those seeking to benefit from Russian connections."

Phi was first identified as being potentially Russian owned on March 13, the government said, and a subsequent investigation led to its detention. The government said it was also looking at a number of other vessels.

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The government said the ship was in Canary Wharf for the superyacht awards and was planning to depart on Tuesday.

Source: swissinfo

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”