Digital Marina Platforms and Refits Hubs Shape Future of M.E Yachting Sector
Plus, lessons learned and cautions from the sale of the seized superyacht Amadea, what it this auction could mean for the sanctioned luxury assets in Europe.
Looking ahead, a busy boat show calendar beckons. At the end of October, the Dubai Pre-Owned Boat Show takes place at Dubai Creek Marina. Later on, the Qatar Boat Show returns for its second edition from November 5-8 at Old Doha Port. Closing the region's boat show year is Abu Dhabi International Boat Show, which runs from 20 to 23 November at Marina Hall. ADNEC Centre.
For one more must-attend event, The Super Yacht Times Gulf Superyacht Summit goes to Abu Dhabi at the Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers from 4 to 5 December, on the eve of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Summit is a consortium of insights, bringing together stakeholders and experts in the Middle East to discuss the region. This year’s topics include Egypt’s growing role in the Red Sea, the Gulf’s significant marina developments, implementing AI in yachting, and the value of building strong itineraries. Tickets can be purchased here.
All the best,
Faisal
PCFC Brings All of Dubai’s Marinas Together In New Online Berth-Reservation Network
The Ports, Customs, and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) has announced the soft launch of a new integrated online platform, allowing yacht owners to book marina berths across Dubai through mobile and computer.
With all marine facilities under one network, users will be able to log on to the UAE Pass platform to check for their desired berth and submit their selection to the marina operator. The operator would respond with the terms and agreement before finalizing the contract digitally.
Read more here.
Marina Port Vell Barcelona signs agreement with Qatar Free Zones Authority to strengthen Marsa Port’s maritime offerings
Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZ) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Marina Port Vell Barcelona to establish Qatar’s Marsa Maritime ecosystem as a destination for superyachting operations.
The MoU puts Port Vell in an advisory position, consulting on matters relating to the management of dedicated infrastructure for luxury vessels, assisting Qatar in attracting foreign-flagged owners, and cementing the country’s position as a cruising destination.
Read more here.
Dubai Maritime Authority Introduces Marina Leasing Management Platform “Marsa”
At the 2025 GITEX Global technology event, the Dubai Maritime Authority (DMA) announced “Marsa,” the first digital platform for the management and leasing of marine berths in Dubai.
The DMA, part of the Port, Customs, and Free Zones Corporation, plans to utilize the platform to digitalize the Emirate’s marina sector by reducing paperwork and streamlining operations.
Through the process of automation, Marsa will cover all service stages from berth booking online and automatic fee calculation to smart payments and invoicing.
Read more here.
A “Functional Frozen Yacht Market”: The Significance of Amadea’s Sale
“Whoever buys the yacht would be buying a lawsuit in a lot of ports.” University of Virginia professor Paul B. Stephan told the New York Times back in August 2025. He refers to the auction announcement for M/Y Amadea, the seized 106-meter yacht, which has acted as the face of the US sanctions regime following the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine. Stephan was part of a chorus of observers who cautioned prospective bidders on the legal complexities that may be faced when owning the yacht, which entail limitations on where the boat may cruise. Despite the chorus of misgivings, Amadea has gone under the hammer in a private, sealed-bid auction, a representative of the US Marshals Service confirmed to Business Insider last week, and this event may well be a turning point in navigating sanctioned luxury assets.
The Lurssen-built Amadea was impounded by the U.S Justice Department in 2022 in Fiji, believing that she belonged to sanctioned Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov. Ever since, it has been mired in legal trouble. It was transferred to San Diego, where it remains docked today. That’s because, curtailing the government’s plans to auction off the vessels, Russian businessman Eduard Khudianatov contested the seizure, claiming to be Amadea’s valid owner. Meanwhile, the vessel continued to collect hefty maintenance and docking fees, which the U.S. taxpayer has had to shoulder.
After untold years of court battles, the Court has made its decision, ruling in favor of the Government and finding Khudaintov to be part of Amdea’s straw owners, meaning “they hold title to it for another party,” according to the Judge. This finally paved the way for the Amadea to find a new home. In September 2025, brokerage firm Fraser, in collaboration with National Maritime Services, facilitated the auction, which was not well received by some.
At the time of the announcement, Adam Ford, Khudaintov’s lawyer, told the judge, “Even the most basic due diligence conducted by any rational potential purchaser bidding on the Amadea, a $230 million USD asset, will reveal the state of this litigation, and the risks associated with the purchase.”
The new owner was unfazed by the cautions associated with purchasing Amadea, it seems, choosing to bid for the vessel regardless of its potential limitations, which could include the need to steer clear of international waters. “The majority of countries in the world that are not sanctioning Russia could easily be open to the claim that what the United States did was invalid,” cautioned Mr. Stephans. Even though the vessel’s sale is now complete, the implications of the qualms surrounding the situation could affect charter bookings for this vessel and others in the market.
“Lots of boats have been bought at auction or were seized and have since been bought. I haven’t heard of any disaster to date,” Richard Higgins, a broker at Northrop and Johnson, told Superyacht Investor.“We’ve got to stop this scaremongering. It’s disrupting charter bookings,” he added, citing the case of another seized yacht, Alfa Nero, which was auctioned for $40 million in July 2024 and has not encountered any court-related hindrances for the most part. “We’ve had a couple of issues early on, but since then it has been plain sailing.” (Alfa Nero was listed for sale 14 months later, although Higgins states that it has no relation to the sanctions measures.). Alfa Nero and Axioma, two other exonerated yachts, have both returned to the charter market.
Even without the “seizure” label, the market is already struggling to charter out older yachts, especially ones belonging to the larger segments, explained Managing Director of TWW Yachts David Westwood to the Super Yacht Times Newspaper: “Yachts over five to ten years old are proving more difficult to fill in our core range, while the larger yachts, 75 metres and up, are facing leaner calendars than usual. That market has been slower to recover.”
It remains to be seen how the upcoming season will play out for the yacht as uncertainties remain. Disgruntled former owners may emerge from the shadows to oppose the sale, as they may have sufficient legal standing to pursue foreign jurisdictions. Overall, as judicial auctioneer specialist Emmanuelle Votat wrote in Super Yacht News, the handling of Amadea is shaping up to be a watershed moment in Europe, paving the way for a “functional frozen yacht market.”