Batista Party Boat Departs Rio as Olympic City Loses Patron
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The Pink Fleet party boat owned by Eike Batista has left Rio de Janeiro’s central marina as the former billionaire unloads luxury assets and retreats from projects in the city after his highly publicized difficulties.
The oil and mining magnate bought the Pink Fleet ship in 2007 and overhauled it to run tours and host parties in Guanabara Bay, home to Rio’s iconic Sugarloaf mountain. The vessel stopped booking tours in January, left the Marina da Gloria in July and now is docked at a distant shipyard. A ship broker familiar with Batista’s efforts to find a buyer said his EBX Group Co. has considered selling it for scrap to avoid tourism licensing fees.