News A quick sale and the negative press surrounding the superyacht Equanimity could encourage potential buyers to lower their bids for the vessel, according to a report in The Star today.
Tucker reportedly said currently there is no change in market sentiment for superyachts – those more than 24m in length – which have relatively few buyers.
He said that the Anastasia, which was built by the same shipbuilders but measuring slightly smaller at 76m, recently sold for €67.5 million (RM321 million) in line with market sentiment.
The government and 1MDB had cited DOJ’s allegations when filing its own suit at the Kuala Lumpur High Court to claim the vessel.
In its application, the plaintiffs asked the court to order the sheriff (acting registrar) to appraise and sell the Equanimity and its consumables, such as bunkers, fuel and lubricants, whether by public or private tender if an offer equal to or more than the appraised value of the vessel is received.
The yacht’s registered owner Equanimity (Cayman) Ltd had claimed that the vessel’s condition is deteriorating due to mishandling by the Malaysian government.
“Moreover, Malaysia has currently docked the yacht in a hazardous environment, in which toxins such as water pollution and nearby smoke are greatly damaging it.
He said a vessel like Equanimitywould need up to three generators plus an emergency generator, and running these 24 hours a day would not be an issue as long as they are maintained as per manufacturer specifications.
As for the alleged smoke and air pollution, Tucker said it could harm the paintwork if left uncleaned, but there would be no long-term problems if the crew routinely cleans the vessel.
The alleged water pollution would mean the Equanimity’s engineering department would have to clean the vessel’s see strainers, sea chest, and filters more frequently, while the deck crew would have to regularly clean the waterline.