💎 Billionaire Frank Lowy’s $100M Superyacht ‘ILONA’ (82m) Makes a Grand Departure from Monaco — What’s the Mysterious Mission This Time? 🚢✨

Inside the luxury superyachts of Australia's richest men | Herald Sun

For years, billionaire Frank Lowy has sailed the seas aboard his ultra-luxurious superyacht, ILONA, a majestic 82-meter floating palace worth over $100 million.

But what happened this week at Monaco Harbor has sparked a flurry of whispers, theories, and wide-eyed speculation.

ILONA didn’t just leave port – she made a statement.

Witnesses describe an unusually tight-lipped crew, last-minute provisions loaded with military-style precision, and a security detail more reminiscent of a diplomatic envoy than a pleasure cruise.

Inside the luxury superyachts of Australia's richest men | Herald Sun

So where exactly is ILONA going?

And what is Australia’s most enigmatic billionaire planning now?

Let’s rewind.

Frank Lowy, co-founder of global shopping center giant Westfield, is no stranger to secrecy.

Despite building one of the most influential real estate empires on the planet, he’s managed to stay notoriously private.

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That’s why when ILONA left Monaco Harbor under a blanket of silence, it didn’t go unnoticed.

Sources close to the Lowy circle say even some longtime staff members were kept in the dark about the yacht’s true itinerary.

One insider claimed, “This isn’t just another Mediterranean cruise.
There’s a reason they tightened the perimeter around the dock and jammed communications.”

Rumors quickly spread.

Inside the luxury superyachts of Australia's richest men | Herald Sun

Some believe ILONA is headed for a high-level summit off the coast of Greece, where powerful figures from the worlds of finance, politics, and tech gather each summer in total secrecy.

Others suggest something even more fantastical: that the billionaire is coordinating a private underwater research expedition rumored to involve AI-driven marine robotics.

It wouldn’t be the first time.

Ilona yacht (Amels, 82m, 2003)

ILONA, refitted multiple times, boasts a helipad, a cinema, a gym, and even a private hospital room.

But in 2022, satellite images captured odd metallic containers being loaded onboard during a stop near Marseille.

No official manifest was released.

Now, in August 2025, the pattern seems to be repeating itself.

Observers noted that several crates marked with unidentifiable codes were swiftly transferred onto the yacht just hours before departure.

“It looked like the kind of thing you’d see in a sci-fi movie,” said a dock worker who requested anonymity.

Louis Vuitton boss Bernard Arnault's $150 million, 333-foot superyacht  dwarfs over every other billionaire's superyachts for now at the 2025  Monaco Grand Prix - Luxurylaunches

Frank Lowy, now 94, may have stepped back from day-to-day operations of his empire, but those who know him best say he’s as sharp and strategic as ever.

He once told a friend, “The ocean is the last place a man can think without interruption.”

Maybe that’s all this is – a getaway.

But with ILONA charting a course into deeper waters, speculation is hard to suppress.

Notably, one of Lowy’s sons was spotted boarding the vessel just before it vanished from AIS tracking systems.

That means ILONA went dark deliberately.

WORLD'S TOP SUPER YACHT VISITING PLYMOUTH

In the maritime world, switching off AIS (Automatic Identification System) is rare for civilian vessels and typically signals high-security operations or exclusive privacy measures.

So what are they hiding?

Some claim a docuseries is being filmed aboard ILONA, chronicling the Lowy family’s legacy and possibly revealing unknown chapters of global real estate history.

Others think the yacht is being used to test classified drone technology in partnership with private defense firms.

So far, there’s no official statement.

Lowy yacht sparks no joy | The Australian

The Lowy Foundation, when contacted, declined to comment.

But the buzz has only grown louder.

Luxury yacht tracking forums are exploding with theories.

Reddit sleuths are dissecting satellite maps.

And a few independent journalists claim to have followed a support vessel that left Monaco minutes after ILONA, heading south at full speed.

Whether it’s a quiet vacation or something far more ambitious, one thing is clear:

Rinehart cash floats boat | The Australian

ILONA is not just a superyacht. It’s a stage for something.

And whatever Frank Lowy is doing out there, behind the polished decks and billion-dollar view, it’s not for show. Not anymore.

Because when the world’s most private billionaire sails away without a word – you have to ask yourself:

What is he running from? Or more chillingly… What is he heading toward?

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