Cover Photo: Boat International
Photo: Boat International
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Hong Kong-based shipping baron Antony Marden’s superyacht Adastra caused a stir among fishermen and residents when it cruised along Sungai Perlis in the sleepy town of Kuala Perlis, Malaysia recently
Fenwick Shipping Services owner and Marden Foundation chairman Antony (Anto) Marden became the talk of the town when his spaceship-like luxury yacht, Adastra, was spotted in Malaysia. The showstopper, which is estimated to cost around US$10 million (upwards of RM44.5 million), was said to have arrived from Langkawi en route to the Perlis Marine Engineering (PME) Sdn Bhd dock located in Kampung Tengah Kuala Perlis for repair work.
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While it was an unusual sighting for the fisherman and residents of Kuala Perlis, the Perlis Fishermen’s Association (PELARIS) board of directors member Jasmi Hashim confirmed that they were informed of Adastra’s presence and movement.
Here’s everything you need to know about Marden and his luxurious water vessel.
Yachting is in Marden’s blood
Above Elaine and Anto Marden at Adastra's launch party in 2012
Elaine and Anto Marden at Adastra's launch party in 2012
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Hong Kong-based shipping magnate Marden is a 73-year-old shipping magnate who’s reported to have a wealth value of up to US$200 million (RM890 million) and is famously known for his lifelong love affair with sailing.
He commissioned John Shuttleworth in the early '80s to design his first yacht, Mazinga, which was built out of wood/epoxy in the Philippines, before working on Adastra. “It took about three or four years to fiddle around with it and three or four years to build, which cost far more than I thought it would,” Marden said.
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He has been cruising the world on the trimaran ever since. Among his cruising highlights on board Adastra thus far are the Fijian islands, between the Raja Ampat and the Anambas islands in Indonesia, and the Greek islands. Marden also owns two islands in Indonesia—Pulau Pangkil and Pulau Joyo—which he said are the best places in the world for a party.
A stunning masterpiece
Designed by John Shuttleworth Yacht Designs and built by shipyard McConaghy Boats in Zhuhai, China, the Adastra is a trimaran-type superyacht that spans 42.5m in length. Her name was derived from the Latin words ‘Ad Astra’, which means ‘to the stars’, and she first made her debut in 2012.
Adastra has a capacity of nine passengers and up to six crew members, with accommodation located on the lower deck and two guest cabins, crew accommodation, and the galley located near the engine compartment. Her main deck boasts a saloon with a lounge space and large wrap-around windows, a dining table, and a navigation station, among other things. There’s also a door in the centre which leads to an outdoor area with a large sun bed and the artfully designed garage door folds out to form a large diving platform.
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She has a 10,000-nautical-mile range at 10 knots, a top speed of 23 knots, and a comfortable cruise speed of 17 knots, and is powered by a single 1,150 horsepower Caterpillar C18 engine. Because of her exceptional seakeeping capabilities, elegant accommodations, and minimal fuel usage, she received the 2013 World Superyacht Award for most innovative design.
Any takers?
In 2019, Marden announced that he has put Adastra up for sale, for a cool US$12 million. The multimillionaire said that the cruising days have come to an end for him and his wife Elaine. “After seven years, we've pretty much cruised to all the places we want to cruise. Now she's just not getting enough use. We have another yacht at home, so it's time to sell,” he revealed.
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In the latest price update, Adastra is worth US$10 million (RM44.5 million), according to Boat International.
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Lainey was the Digital Director of Tatler Malaysia. When not whiling away the hours watching documentaries, the latest K-drama, or reruns of Friends, she can be found indulging her wanderlust by stalking travel platforms or feeding her obsession with music. She loves animals, running, all things social media, a good conversation over coffee or soju or wine (often rambling on if nobody pulls the brakes on her), and is an avid fan of bursting-at-the-seams laughter.
