The conspicuous size and glamour of the world's eighth largest yacht belied its owner's attempts at secrecy, as it floated like a horizontal skyscraper around the South Bay this week.

The Serene first arrived at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, where it docked at the cruise terminal for several days, before heading to Marina del Rey and Venice midweek.

Gawkers marvelled at its onboard helicopter, upper deck 50-foot pool and lounges, bars and spas. But it quickly became clear that the superyacht, for all its pomp, was shrouded in mystery.

"It's so big. At first I thought they were here to buy the Dodgers," said Jackie Javier, a San Pedro dockworker. "I wonder what it looks like inside and who would have

A $300 million yacht named Serene has been parked at San Pedro's cruise terminal since the weekend. (Sean Hiller / Staff Photographer)
that much money to have a ship like that. How many cooks does he have? What kind of food does he eat?"

Rumors swirled that the megayacht had come to the Los Angeles area to host an Oscars party this weekend. Yacht operators refused to allow reporters to even approach the boat, let alone ask why it was there. But its massive size and apparent luxury has garnered media attention on its travels around the world.

Russian vodka tycoon Yuri Shefler owns the $330 million ship named Serene. It is 440 feet long and was built at Fincantieri shipyard in Italy and launched in August 2011.

According to Forbes magazine, Shefler's net worth was $850 million in 2004. He was 39th on the magazine's list of the richest Russians.

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Shefler earns his money as the head of SPI Group, a company he formed in 1997 when he was just 30 years old. SPI Group produces and distributes Stolichnaya vodka and other labels once owned by the USSR. The company is now the largest exporter of Russian vodka in the world, according to its website.

However, the company has struggled with the Russian government since its inception for control over ownership of vodka trademarks. Shefler has faced brushes with the law, including an allegation that he threatened to kill a former deputy agriculture minister over vodka rights in 2003.

While few media outlets have been allowed onboard Serene, Boat International magazine featured the megayacht in its December 2011 issue. Among other things, the ship has a custom-made submarine that can dive to 300 feet, an indoor saltwater pool, elevators, a "snow room" that generates 3 to 4 inches of powder, and a private interior "Nemo room" with a glass bottom view of the ocean below.

Media reports recorded the ship cruising the coast of Spain, headed for Gibraltar in August. In December, it was seen docked at the port of Manhattan in New York.

It arrived in San Pedro last Friday but left for Marina del Rey on Tuesday night. It was spotted moored off Venice Beach on Thursday. Port officials say its brief stay in San Pedro might have cost as much as $10,000 in fees.

The megayacht can accommodate 24 overnight guests, and it has seven decks with a variety of pools, spas, dining facilities, bars and lounges.

Some of the most stunning architectural features include a spiral staircase that ascends six decks and is topped with a skylight, an outdoor seating area and cinema in front of the helideck, and balconies with shell-shaped doors.

In addition to its grand dining room, where guests are served meals prepared by an onboard executive chef, the ship offers a barbecue, pizza oven and teppanyaki grill.

The ship's Eurocopter 145 sits on the front hangar, but a pool can be transformed into a second hangar if needed. The yacht also has a gymnasium, a hair salon, massage room, sauna, galleys, wine cellars, a library and cigar lounge and diving equipment.

The ship's interior decor was designed by Reymond Langton Design of London. Boat International magazine described the design as being contemporary and understated with hints of art deco. The exterior was designed by Espen Oeino of Monaco.

A group of Chinese tourists who took a harbor cruise in San Pedro this week were impressed by the ship, which the captain pointed out as they motored by it.

"It's fancy," said Tony Lu. "There is a helicopter on the back. It's something we've never seen before."

The arrival of superyachts is a boon for the local economy, said Los Angeles County beaches and harbors spokeswoman Debbie Talbot.

"San Diego has these boats all the time and it contributes to 10 percent of their local economy," Talbot said. "It's very good for any port because you get all the residuals, the slip fees and fuel taxes and provisioning."

Port officials were guarded about the reason for the Serene's visit or when it is expected to leave because they were asked to protect the vessel's privacy.

"It's certainly a beautiful vessel," port spokesman Phillip Sanfield said. "From our perspective, they're just here and they'll pay the fees when they leave. It's not our business to ask" anything else.

sandy.mazza@dailybreeze.com

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