The management of frozen yachts under sanctions raises a central question: should criminal proceedings be prioritised, or should administrative pathways allow controlled management and an orderly exit? Through the Royal Romance case, this analysis explores the legal and operational risks of premature criminalisation.

A 2025 Finnish court decision marks a decisive shift in the enforcement of EU sanctions against superyachts. By refusing to return Divina Barbara despite the intervention of a nominee owner, the court confirmed that artificially complex offshore structures no longer shield frozen assets. This ruling reflects an emerging European doctrine prioritising effective control and benefit over formal ownership.

Published in Superyacht News. The sale of Amadea marks a turning point for Europe. It demonstrates that yachts subject to international sanctions can be sold efficiently through rigorous, swift and transparent procedures. Beyond a single emblematic case, this precedent reveals the potential for a European market for frozen yachts and highlights the urgency of establishing a coherent legal and operational framework to prevent asset value erosion and restore the effectiveness o

The UK Supreme Court has confirmed that a superyacht connected to Russia may be lawfully detained, even where its beneficial owner is not sanctioned. The Phi ruling marks a turning point in sanctions enforcement, reshaping the legal, operational and asset-management landscape for frozen yachts.

Built to glide across the world’s most exclusive seas, Phi now lies frozen in the heart of London. Seized under the UK sanctions regime in March 2022, this 59-metre superyacht has become a symbol of legal ambiguity, asset degradation and geopolitical paralysis.

Published in Superyacht News. As a judicial auctioneer specialising in seized yachts, Emmanuelle Votat calls for transforming the legal vacuum surrounding frozen yachts into public value. Drawing on French judicial practice, she shows that simply selling sanctioned yachts raises major legal and ethical concerns, and advocates for a transparent European framework to preserve asset value, reduce public maintenance costs, and redirect sale proceeds toward the public interest.

Frozen under international sanctions, the superyacht Royal Romance has become a €20 million-a-year liability. Once intended to support Ukraine’s war effort, it now exposes Europe’s legal deadlocks, institutional paralysis and the shortcomings of maritime justice in dealing with frozen assets.

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.

Superyachts frozen under international sanctions are condemned to immobility and decay. This article outlines four concrete legal solutions to move beyond paralysis and transform frozen yachts into useful, responsible assets within a maritime justice framework.

Two comparable yachts, seized in a similar geopolitical context, yet following radically different trajectories. The Phi vs Stefania comparison shows how judicial and operational asset management determines the success—or failure—of frozen yachts under sanctions.

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.