The 'World Dream' of Genting Hong Kong will be up for auction on Dec 21, 2022, following the demise of the company in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bidding is open to anyone. The ship is currently anchored off Singapore. The Office of the Sheriff of Singapore is in charge of the auction, and is selling the vessel “as-is.” The buyer is responsible for making sure it’s seaworthy and for relocating it elsewhere. The vessel auction is being run by the sheriff to help pay off the company’s debts. All bidders must make a deposit of $50K, but the losers of the auction will receive refunds. There will be extra costs associated with the purchase that potential buyers must be willing to accept. Genting Hong Kong wasn’t able to buy fuel for its ships after running up enormous bills, leaving a number of customers stranded. In order to seize the 'World Dream', it was refueled at a cost of $1.2 million. That amount will be added to the sales price.
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ROYAL ROMANCE
Viktor Medvedchuk, the owner of the 'Royal Romance' is Ukrainian, but also an oligarch and a close friend of Putin. Therefore, he was arrested in Ukraine in April, but released in a prisoner exchange with Ruland. Now his seized yacht may become the first to be auctioned for the benefit of Ukraine. The yacht is valued at 200 million Dollar, and for the first time, the entire amount will go to Ukraine. The 'Royal Romance' was seized in Croatia, where a court has since ruled that the yacht must be transferred to Arma, which is the Ukrainian agency that searches for state assets that have disappeared, e.g. due to corruption. It has not yet been decided when the yacht will be auctioned.
COLOR VIKING
The 'Color Viking' after serving many years on the Sandefjord-Strömstad route, has been sold to the Greek shipping company Seajet. In 2000, the ship was chartered by Color Line with a purchase option, and deployed on the popular route, where it served for 22 years until Nov 20, 2022, when it sailed its last trip between Sandefjord and Strömstad. The high energy prices and weakened framework conditions made it no longer financially sustainable to sail with the 'Color Viking' on the route. Seajets will deliver the ferry, which has been docked at the Linö Shipyard Fayard in Odense since Nov 23, in Feb 2023. Where it will sail and what it will be called has not yet been announced.
