Auction sale of seized yachts : the case of the superyacht Stefania

E. VOTAT
Mar 26, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Feb 1

The auction took place at the La Ciotat shipyards on 27 March 2025. The yacht was sold for EUR 11,952,000 (fees included).

The superyacht Stefania, seized in the context of an international criminal investigation into money laundering linked to drug trafficking, was sold at public auction in France on 27 March 2025. This operation illustrates the ability of the French authorities to preserve the value of seized maritime assets while ensuring a rigorous procedure fully aligned with the standards of the luxury yachting market. It also lays the groundwork for the auction sale of seized yachts.

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The sale of M/Y Stefania forms part of a broader framework governing the judicial sale of seized yachts, the legal, technical and operational mechanisms of which are analysed in detail in this reference article.

A landmark case of judicial maritime seizure

M/Y Stefania, a 41-metre motor yacht built by Dynamiq, was seized as part of an international criminal investigation involving money laundering related to drug trafficking, arms trafficking and narcotics. Intercepted during a port call in Italy, the vessel was subsequently placed under the authority of the French judicial system.

The French authorities established that funds of illicit origin were allegedly used to acquire both the yacht and a villa located on the French Riviera, with an estimated value of approximately EUR 10 million. This seizure followed the analysis of suspicious financial flows transiting through offshore jurisdictions, intended to conceal the origin of the funds.

Continuous judicial management prior to disposal

The yacht was repatriated in November 2023 and then underwent nearly seventeen months of continuous judicial management, including the securing of the vessel, its maintenance, coordination between the competent authorities, and preparation for its disposal.

The public auction took place on 27 March 2025, with an opening bid set at EUR 10 million, based on an estimated value ranging between EUR 10 and 12 million. The yacht’s technical and aesthetic features — notably its glass-inlaid railings and transparent flag mast — were highlighted as part of the judicial marketing process.

Prospective bidders were required to register in advance and to pay a deposit of EUR 500,000 in order to participate in the auction.

A structuring operation for the practice of judicial yacht sales

The sale of Stefania demonstrates the ability of the French authorities and the appointed professionals to preserve the value of a seized maritime asset, while ensuring a transparent, legally secure procedure fully compliant with the standards of the international luxury yachting market.

It now constitutes a reference case for the auction sale of seized yachts, within a broader context of strengthened European mechanisms to combat illicit financial flows linked to luxury assets

Media coverage of the sale of the M/Y Stefania

The sale of the superyacht Stefania received exceptional national and international media coverage, reflecting the public and institutional interest generated by this judicial maritime operation.

Auction Sale of Seized Yachts: Read the post by Pierre Chapon (Enchères Publiques)

Sea trials - Stefania is back at sea: Read the post on LinkedIn

Print media