Queen Mavia, a $39 million ocean vessel, has managed to get arrested, and surprise the internet. The world has witnessed giant superyachts getting seized over the past four years, but even they pale in comparison to the story of this 203-footer. The vessel was seized in Imperia by order of the city court for the non-payment of dues to just one crew member. The deck officer of the pleasure craft, owned by Abu Dhabi businessman Saeed Bin Jabr Al Suwaidi, the billionaire founder of the Bin Jabr Group, sued for 32,000 euros (over $35,000) owed after an accident at work. The deck officer was hired for the summer of 2026 at a salary of a little over $6,500 from May 1 to September 30, 2026. According to local news website Imperiapost, he was on board on August 17 as the vessel entered the Tunisian port of Bizerte.
During the docking maneuver, while recovering the cables, he injured himself. This was the turning point of the story and the basis of the ongoing case. The claimant stated he wasn’t paid sick pay or accrued vacation and rest days. The worker is represented by lawyers Karim Ivan Garola of the Milan bar and Giorgio Licitra of the Imperia bar. It is surprising that the case has gone on for over two months, and a seizure order was deemed necessary by the judges because the Queen Mavia is the only asset traceable within Europe belonging to the shipping company, Diamond Empress Ltd.
It is rather amusing that for a disputed amount of $35,000, which is under 0.1 percent of her asking price, the vessel is not allowed to leave until the matter is settled. All the owner needs to do under Italian procedure to get the sanction lifted is post adequate security. That would be peanuts for the Bin Jabr Group, an Abu Dhabi family conglomerate founded in the late 1970s by billionaire Saeed Saif Bin Jabr Al Suwaidi according to Superyachtfan. Whether he is aware of the crew members action, and the lack of reaction is another story altogether.
Inside Queen Mavia-
As elegant as they come, the 203-foot vessel was commissioned in 2001 as Lady Christine for Lord Irvine Laidlaw and named after his wife. It has since changed owners and identities, and it is now at the center of some unpleasantness. In all other respects, this ship is an absolutely stunning pleasure craft. The 1,150 GT vessel sleeps 12 guests in six cabins and accommodates a crew of 13. One of the highlights is an expansive owner’s deck catering to a billionaire’s every whim and need.
For the utmost relaxation, the Queen Mavia offers a spa deck with a seawater hot tub, a gym, a sauna, and a massage room. The presence of twin Caterpillar 3516B engines gives the vessel a speed of 15 knots and a 4,700-nautical-mile range. Despite all these advantages, the ship has been listed for sale on Fraser since June 12, 2024, through broker Dennis Frederiksen in Monaco, without any takers. Perhaps the saying, ‘Any publicity is good publicity’ will now come in handy for this regal ride of the high seas.
