Five-masted Golden Horizon detained at Dover due to legal dispute.
The world’s largest sailing vessel has been arrested at the UK Port of Dover, just hours before the passenger ship was due to set sail on her maiden cruise. A British Admiralty court ordered the vessel detained after she arrived at Dover from a pre-inaugural travel industry event.
The arrest is the latest development in a long-running legal dispute between the Brodosplit Group in Croatia, which built the ship, and the cruise line, Star Clippers of Monaco, that ordered its construction.
Following construction difficulties and delays that resulted in arbitration, the yard was ordered to pay Star Clippers six million Euros plus interest. The cruise line took out a lien against the vessel and now says it will only release the ship when the debt is settled.
Star Clippers of Monaco said: “Despite several attempts to collect, the Croatian shipyard Brodosplit refused to voluntarily meet its financial obligations, so stopping the ship became inevitable.”
At 8,770 gross tons and 531 feet LOA, the five-masted Golden Horizon is the world’s largest square-rigged sailing vessel. Launched in June 2017, the ship is a near replica of the 1913-built France II. She has accommodation for 300 passengers and 140 crew, along with bars, a restaurant, pools, gym, and a spa.
