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Money now moves at the speed of a click, but the law is racing to catch up. We dive into the rise of worldwide freezing orders—born from the English Mareva injunction—and explore how a judge in one country can halt assets across borders, reshaping how major deals get done. From the chaotic rush of Russian privatization to Bill Browder’s campaign and the Magnitsky framework, we connect the dots between private remedies, public sanctions, and the new reality facing owners, buyers, banks, and brokers.

We break down the legal tests courts use—good arguable case, real risk of dissipation, and proportionality—and why most freezes are granted ex parte to prevent “hit send” asset flight. Then we turn to the real‑world fallout: yacht sales paused at the dock, liens colliding with clean‑looking titles, and the buyer’s nightmare where a $75M vessel becomes an “unlawfully dissipated asset.” Along the way, we examine sanctions lists across the U.S., U.K., and EU, how mismatches create compliance traps, and why service providers risk contempt if they facilitate transfers after notice.

We also tackle due process head‑on, contrasting constitutional concerns about pre‑judgment takings with maritime exceptions designed for assets that can simply sail away. The Phi yacht saga highlights how geopolitics and perception can shape enforcement even without a formal sanctions designation. Throughout, we share practical safeguards: multi‑jurisdiction sanctions checks at signing and pre‑funding, robust KYC and UBO verification, independent title reviews and flag‑state searches, escrow structures with clawbacks, and covenants that permit rapid exit if freezes hit mid‑deal.

If you navigate high‑value transactions—especially movable assets like yachts—this conversation offers clarity and concrete steps to reduce risk while the legal landscape evolves. Subscribe, share with a colleague who handles complex closings, and leave a review with the one question you want us to tackle next.

Have a yacht law question? Email it to info@megayachtnews.com or michael@moore-and-co.com for your chance to have it answered on our podcast. All requests for confidentiality and/or anonymity are respected.

Hiring a lawyer is a big decision. Visit Moore & Company for the legal team's qualifications and experience. And, to learn the latest about superyacht launches, shipyards, designs, and destinations, visit Megayacht News.

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One tiny word in a marine contract can decide who gets paid and who gets stranded. We unpack the real meaning of pay-first, pay-if-paid, and pay-when-paid in yacht builds, refits, and charters, and trace how P&I club traditions shaped today’s clauses. From owners to shipyards, subcontractors, brokers, and charterers, we map the entire payment chain so you can see where money stalls, why it stalls, and how to keep your project moving when one party hits a cash wall.

We go deep on insurance structure too: deductibles, primary layers, and the often-invisible reinsurance towers that can trigger pay-as-paid delays. You’ll hear how enforcement differs across jurisdictions—why Florida and England often honor these clauses, why France rejects them, and why a quiet New York governing law provision in a yacht policy can wreck a claim even when a breach didn’t cause the loss. Along the way, we share hard lessons from real cases: unpaid subs, insolvent yards with heavy mortgages, charterers arriving to unseaworthy yachts, and banks blindsided by misdirected funds.

The takeaway is practical and immediate. Read for conditional words like if, when, and as. Verify solvency as liquidity, not just net worth. Demand third-party guarantees from entities with real, provable assets. Check recorded liens on yard property, use escrow that protects deposits, and align broker fee splits with clear payment conditions. Above all, plan for collectability before you sign; a courtroom win without a pocket to recover from is no win at all.

If this helped you spot risks in your own contracts, subscribe, share the show with a fellow owner or broker, and leave a review with the clause you’re most worried about. Your question might shape a future episode.

Have a yacht law question? Email it to info@megayachtnews.com or michael@moore-and-co.com for your chance to have it answered on our podcast. All requests for confidentiality and/or anonymity are respected.

Hiring a lawyer is a big decision. Visit Moore & Company for the legal team's qualifications and experience. And, to learn the latest about superyacht launches, shipyards, designs, and destinations, visit Megayacht News.

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Thinking about bidding on a seized superyacht? We walk through the real mechanics of judicial sales—what triggers them, how courts run them, and why a properly executed auction can deliver title that holds up worldwide. From sanctions stories like Amadea to bread‑and‑butter arrests for unpaid crew wages, we separate media myths from the rules that actually govern these high‑stakes transactions.

We explain why the U.S. Marshal process is considered the gold standard under the Supplemental Rules for Admiralty and Maritime Claims, including publication, bidding requirements, deposits, and post‑sale confirmation. You’ll hear how foreign courts assess fairness and why cases like Blue Star in Malta matter for cross‑border recognition. We also dig into the uncomfortable stuff, especially how courts judge “prudent” buyers who ignore red flags and chase a bargain. If you’ve ever wondered how KYC, sanctions lists, and source‑of‑funds checks shape who gets to bid, we’ve got stories and specifics.

Finally, being able to conduct a sea trial or survey before bidding is likely impossible, so we share practical due diligence tactics: interviewing crew and former managers, tracing ownership records, and more. We also confront the reality of zombie yachts—uncrewed, uninsured, and decaying fast—and what happens when they result from a judicial sale order. Finally, we outline bidder responsibilities at the courthouse steps, why misrepresenting a principal is a fast track to trouble, and how to make sure the yacht you buy stays yours to enjoy.

If this helped you navigate the world of yacht auctions, follow the show, share it with a friend in the industry, and leave a quick review telling us your biggest auction question.

Have a yacht law question? Email it to info@megayachtnews.com or michael@moore-and-co.com for your chance to have it answered on our podcast. All requests for confidentiality and/or anonymity are respected.

Hiring a lawyer is a big decision. Visit Moore & Company for the legal team's qualifications and experience. And, to learn the latest about superyacht launches, shipyards, designs, and destinations, visit Megayacht News.