
A mammoth $450million (£360million) sailing yacht was spotted pulling out of Nobiskrug shipyard in Germany yesterday evening en route to Southern Spain, where it will undergo further sea trials as part of months of rigorous testing before it is handed over to its wealthy owner.

The 468ft-long vessel, owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko, was an impressive sight to behold as it set sail from the German Naval Yard in Kiel, north of Hamburg.

The impressive superyacht, which was has three 300ft masts that are taller than Big Ben's tower, was imaginatively named 'Sailing Yacht A' by its owner.

Mr Melnichenko hit the headlines back in September when he moored his other £240 million masterpiece, 'Motor Yacht A', on the Thames.

The boat's internal fit-out is set to continue at another shipyard before it is due to be handed over to Mr Melnichenko in late Spring.

As the boat made its way to Spain, Mr Melnichenko’s Project Director, Dirk Kloosterman said: 'This has been the most challenging assignment of my career. I am confident Sailing Yacht A will be the world’s greatest yacht in terms of design and technology for the years ahead.

'Her beauty is breathtaking, and Philippe Starck's astonishing design and ultimate vision will be the subject of many conversations wherever she travels around the globe. We look forward to the final delivery to the owner.'

Lit up: The huge sailing yacht was seen at Nobiskrug shipyard on February 5 on its way to Spain for more sea trials

The yacht pulled into the harbour at dusk, showcasing its elegant green lighting for the first time

Previous sea tests had taken place in daylight hours so it was the first time the boat had been seen illuminated in green

Melnichenko is said to favour using the letter 'A' so that his vessels are listed first in shipping registers

Seen here on a previous test run, the yacht was impossible to miss thanks to its three 300ft masts which stand taller than Big Ben's tower

The 468ft-long vessel (right), owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko, was reportedly pulled out of the German Naval Yards in Kiel, north of Hamburg, by a tugboat on previous tests and it eventually built up a speed of 20 knots

Sailing Yacht A boasts eight floors - with a helicopter pad on one of the decks - and an underwater observation room

After the boat left the German shipyard, Nobiskrug’s Managing Director, Holger Kahl told superyachts.com: ‘Born from the desire of the owner to ‘push the boundaries of engineering and challenge the status quo of the industry’, “Sailing Yacht A” is undoubtedly one of the most visionary projects Nobiskrug has ever been involved in.’

Melnichenko, who has an estimated net worth of $13.4 billion (£10.8 billion), is said to favour using the letter 'A' so that his vessels are listed first in shipping registers.

Sailing Yacht A boasts eight floors - with a helicopter pad on one of the decks - and an underwater observation room. The behemoth is believed to be one of the world's largest sailing superyachts.

Superyachtfan.com reports that the boat is powered by a 'hybrid diesel-electric package with controllable pitch propellers,' and is designed to accommodate 20 guests and a crew of 54.

The unconventional yacht was designed by Frenchman Philippe Starck, who challenges the expectations of conventional aesthetics, and built by German Naval Yards, Nobiskrug.

Mr Melnichenko is expected to recover some of the costs by licensing the technology developed for the vessel for commercial applications.

The impressive superyacht turned heads as it dwarfed the other boats in the German harbour, left. It then captured the attention of photographers again as it sailed in Danish seas, right

Sailing Yacht A’s delivery was described as 'an iconic moment for all those involved' in its construction

After leaving Germany, the boat was seen on Monday, passing through Denmark on its way to Kristiansand in Norway

With a huge swimming pool and eight storeys 'Sailing Yacht A' is one of the world's largest sailing ships

The luxury sail-assisted motor yacht was seen passing Elsinore, North Sealand, in Denmark on Monday

The yacht has a high-tech digital control system operated using a touch sensitive sheet of black glass in the bridge

The luxury yacht, that was built at a shipbuilding yard near Hamburg, Germany, has masts that are 300ft high and is one of the world's largest sailing boats in the world

The sailing ship is owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko, who is believed to have paid £340million for the vessel

Cruise speed of the ship is 18mph, with a top speed of 24mph. The hull is made of steel, with a teak-finish deck

The epic vessel boasts a staggering eight decks and its keel incorporates one of the largest single pieces of curved glass ever made at 193 square feet and weighs a whopping 1.8 tons

The vessel is an upgrade to the Russian billionaire's 'Motor Yacht A' - which set him back £240 million.

Melnichenko also owns a Boeing 737 - but he has now turned his attention to sailing power.

The epic vessel boasts a staggering eight decks and its keel incorporates one of the largest single pieces of curved glass ever made at 193 square feet and weighs a whopping 1.8 tons.

It dwarfs other famous super-yachts like The Maltese Falcon, which is 298ft and weighs 1,367 tons.

The cruise speed of the ship is 18mph and its has a top speed of 24mph. The hull is made of steel, with a teak-finish deck.

This has been used to create a stunning observation pod on the bottom of the vessel so Mr Melnichenko, 44, and his Serbian model wife, Aleksandra, can enjoy stunning views of the sea.

Mr Melnichenko (pictured with wife Aleksandra), who has an estimated net worth of $13.4 billion (£10.8 billion), founded the fertilizer producer EuroChem, the coal producer Suek, and the power generator SGK

Motor Yacht A was Andrey Melnichenko's first purchase, and now he has moved into the sailing side of the industry

Motor Yacht A was a behemoth of the seas in its own right, now Mr Melnichenko has another toy for his collection

The yacht has a high-tech digital control system operated using a touch sensitive sheet of black glass in the bridge.

This will allow the crew to raise and lower the sails and even drop the anchor with a brush of their fingers.

Mr Melnichenko founded the fertilizer producer EuroChem, coal producer Suek, and power generator SGK.

The boat owner billionaire Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko, pictured with his wife Aleksandra

He was named as the 97th wealthiest person on the planet by Forbes and the ninth richest in Russia.

Speaking previously about the project, a spokesman for Mr Melnichenko said it 'pushed the boundaries.'

'This project was a considerable financial risk for him as he had to fund massive R&D to see if he could achieve his vision,' they said.

'But he is a man to always push the boundaries and to challenge the industries he works with to think out of the box so he can achieve something new and exciting as well as beautiful.

'Sailing Yacht A is a monument to invention.'

Benjamin Maltby of MatrixLloyd, said: 'Make no mistake - this will be a very significant ship.

'While precise details of the sailing rig have yet to be released, not since the days of the mighty clipper sailing ships, such as the Cutty Sark, has such a large sailing vessel been built.

Crowds gathered in northern Germany to catch a glimpse of the mega-yacht as it set on its maiden sail

The masts were prudced by Magma Structures based in Portsmouth, and were shipped out to the German port

An artist's impression gave the idea that the sailing yacht would dwarf other yachts - and so it has been proved

TALE OF THE TAPE Top Speed: 24mph (20.8 knots) Cruise Speed: 18mph (15.6 knots) Length: 468ft Size of sailing masts: 300ft Cost: £260m Crew: 54 Advertisement

'This new superyacht will be nearly twice the length and over twice the width of the Cutty Sark.

'She will instantly become an inspiration to cargo ship owners, and a floating demonstration that sails - combined with the latest materials and technology - mean that dirty diesel engines are no longer needed as the primary means of propulsion.

'The green lobby should be celebrating - as cargo ships are significant CO2 contributors.

'The masts were built by Magma Structures in Portsmouth - just a stone's throw from another well known sailing vessel, HMS Victory, which is less than half the length of this new superyacht.'

Sarah Johnson from Magma Structures told MailOnline Travel: 'We are really proud of the team who build these masts, that are the largest free-standing rigs in the world.

'We are the only company who can produce structures like this of this size, it's great for Britain to be involved.'

Boat International reports that the previous largest sailing yacht on the water is 96.35 metre Sea Cloud, a classic beauty launched in 1931, followed by the modern falcon-rigged iconic yacht Maltese Falcon at 88 metres LOA.

Sailing Yacht A handily surpasses both of these.

After months of preparation work, the Sailing Yacht A finally took to the seas in northern Germany

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO KEEP A SUPERYACHT ON THE WATER? From Russian oligarchs to Middle Eastern royalty to Hollywood producers, it takes a certain type of person to own a superyacht - crucially, they must be super rich. Andrey Milnichenko has invested $451 million into his new vessel Sailing Yacht A. However, the initial cost is only part of owning such a luxurious vessel. For wealthy owners like Roman Abramovich and UAE president Khalifa Al Nahyan, owners of two of the costliest private vessels in the world, the costs associated with keeping such big boats on the water are staggering. The original plans for Sailing Yacht A have become a reality for the wealthy Russian businessman Insurance company Towergate estimates that 10 per cent of the initial value of a superyacht goes on operating costs. For Chelsea Football Club owner Abramovich's Eclipse, a 162.5m vessel with a missile defence system that cost the billionaire an astronomical $500milion (£332), that means $50m (£33m) a year. The standard fuel usage for a 71m yacht is 500 litres an hour, meaning an average of $400,000 (£265,000) is spent on petrol every year per vessel. The Value Added Tax (VAT) works out at 15-25 per cent of the vessel's value while docking costs are an average $350,000 (£232,000) and $240,000 (£159,000) the standard for insurance sees the costs soar. Add to that the expected $1million (£664,000) per year for maintenance and repairs and the wages for an average $1.4m (£930,000) for an on-board crew - which can range from less than 20 to 154 staff on the Sultan of Oman's mysterious Al Said superyacht - and it's a significant outlay. Advertisement