CNA Explains: ‘Cruise for life’ ship Odyssey seized in Singapore – what happens after a vessel is arrested?
The cruise ship, meant to take passengers on a continuous voyage around the world, was arrested after arriving from Cambodia on Sunday.
A drone view of the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship departing from Sihanoukville Autonomous Port without passengers after residents living aboard the vessel were forced to disembark in Cambodia, as the operator said rising fuel prices linked to conflict involving Iran had made operations prohibitively expensive, in Preah Sihanouk province, Cambodia, November 4, 2026. REUTERS/Soveit Yarn
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SINGAPORE: After a ship is arrested, there are several options available to its owner to have it released, maritime lawyers said.
These include putting up something else of value in its place – known as a security – to secure the vessel’s release, having the claim withdrawn or successfully challenging the arrest in court, they told CNA on Tuesday (Nov 10).
Their comments come after the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship was arrested in Singapore waters. The vessel had been stranded in Southeast Asia after its US-based operator ran out of money.
A list of arrested vessels on the SG Courts website showed that the Odyssey was arrested on Sunday morning at Changi General Purpose Anchorage.
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Mr Jonathan Lim, associate director of K&L Gates Straits Law LLC, said: “A ship arrest is a formal legal step which detains the ship in Singapore under the court’s admiralty jurisdiction based on a maritime-related civil claim against the shipowner.”
While under arrest, the ship cannot be moved or leave Singapore waters without the court’s permission, pending the resolution of the legal process. During this time, the Sheriff takes control of the ship and looks after it, said Mr Lim.
The Registrar of the Supreme Court is the Sheriff of Singapore, whose office deals with enforcement proceedings in such cases.
How can a shipowner get a vessel back?
A vessel may be released if the arresting party decides not to pursue the claim, for example, because doing so would not be financially worthwhile, and no other claimants come forward to take over the arrest, said Mr Derek Tan of Stoa Law Corporation.
Mr Lim said the shipowner could also secure the vessel’s release by providing “appropriate security” for the arresting party’s maritime claim.
The security could take the form of a bank guarantee, cash or a letter of undertaking, said Mr Tan.
Another possibility, although less likely, is for the shipowner to successfully challenge the arrest on the grounds that it was wrongful or lacked a legal basis, said Mr Lim.
Can the ship be sold by the court?
The court could also order the ship to be sold “pendente lite”, with the proceeds paid into court as security for the claim.
“Pendente lite” is Latin for “pending the litigation” and refers to court orders taking effect before a case is concluded.
“As the vessel is likely to incur expenses while under arrest and is likely to be a depreciating asset, the vessel could be sold by the court before the claim is decided,” said Mr Tan.
“The time taken for a vessel to be sold by the court varies from case to case. If there are no ready buyers, it could be awhile. If and when the vessel is sold, the proceeds of that sale would typically be held in court until the claim is resolved.”
The time needed to resolve matters relating to the vessel, including its arrest and the underlying claim, depends on the facts of each case, said Mr Tan.
There may also be other claims against the vessel beyond the one that led to its arrest. It is not unheard of for it to take a few years before all the issues arising or related to the arrest of a vessel in Singapore are resolved, he added.
What about the crew and passengers?
The Odyssey had arrived at the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville during a scheduled stop last month. Passengers were then forced to leave the vessel after the operator Villa Vie Residences abruptly announced it was suspending operations, two years after the ship set sail.
Villa Vie Residences cited “extraordinary increases” in fuel costs due to the US-Israel war with Iran as a reason for stopping operations. The ship had been intended to take passengers on a continuous voyage around the world.
Residents were given just seven hours to pack their bags and disembark from the 200m-long ship. The Odyssey had carried 203 guests and 156 crew.
“Some of the crew will have to remain onboard to ensure the ship remains safely anchored in the harbour. The crew’s welfare will be looked after by the Sheriff, which in most cases will be funded at first instance by the arresting party,” said Mr Lim.
It is unclear whether passengers would be able to seek compensation, said experts. A key factor would be whether the party they have a claim against is also the owner of the ship, said Mr Lim.
“If so, then the passengers may be able to ‘tag on’ to the claim underlying the arrest and potentially share in any sale proceeds,” he said.
Source: CNA/fb/ca
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