Judicial Sales & Procedures

The sale of a superyacht may be legally completed in one country without guaranteeing recognition of its effects abroad. The Amadea case examines the challenges of international ownership recognition following a US civil forfeiture and judicially supervised sale. Despite the sale being upheld by US courts, questions remain about the protection of ownership rights across jurisdictions. Part III of the series Judicial Superyacht Sales: Three Cases, Three Fault Lines.

The judicial sale of a superyacht can be legally successful without achieving the price expected in the conventional market. The Axioma case illustrates how a court-supervised sale, backed by a secured creditor and attracting 63 bids, resulted in a $37.5 million transaction. An analysis of how sanctions, judicial constraints and market conditions influence price formation. Part II of the series Judicial Superyacht Sales: Three Cases, Three Fault Lines.

The sale of a superyacht does not necessarily bring an end to the legal disputes surrounding it. The Alfa Nero case illustrates the challenges of selling high-value assets caught between sanctions, contested ownership and complex legal proceedings. Despite its eventual sale in 2024, questions remain over the legal framework, the price achieved and the allocation of proceeds. The first article in a three-part series examining Alfa Nero, Axioma and Amadea, and the legal and com

Published in SuperYacht News. Public auction may satisfy transparency requirements, but will it work for a sanctioned yacht? Emmanuelle Votat explores the Royal Romance case

One week after the announcement of the sale of the 106-metre megayacht Amadea, all indicators point to a clear operational success. Beyond the yacht itself, the transaction illustrates how a properly structured judicial sale of a frozen asset can combine speed, legal security and buyer commitment — and why this model should now become the benchmark.

France has established itself as a reference player in the management and sale of seized yachts. By structuring genuine judicial expertise — from value preservation to disposals fully compliant with criminal procedures — it turns seizure into a strategic lever of action. The Stefania case illustrates this active, effective and legally controlled approach, which is poised to inspire a European model for the management of maritime assets derived from criminal activity.

The 41-metre motor yacht Stefania, seized as part of an international criminal investigation into money laundering, was subject to seventeen months of judicial management, including securing, maintenance and preparation for disposal. Repatriated to France in November 2023, it was sold at public auction on 27 March 2025 for €11,952,000, fees included, illustrating the ability to preserve the value of seized maritime assets within a strictly judicial framework.