Palma de Mallorca is without question Spain's most important nautical hub and one of the world's five references for high-end yachting alongside Monaco, Antibes, Fort Lauderdale and Dubai. During the high season — May to October — Palma's marinas concentrate a fleet of internationally flagged yachts and superyachts with no equivalent in any other Spanish port.
The typical Palma shipowner profile is very specific: central European and Nordic owners — German, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Swiss — with vessels registered under Cayman Islands, Malta, Marshall Islands, Gibraltar or Panama flags and offshore corporate structures. These owners have no domicile or assets in Spain beyond the vessel. When a dispute arises, the yacht is the only enforceable asset in Spanish territory. The Palma season also has a critical characteristic: by the end of October, the fleet leaves the marinas within just a few weeks. If action is not taken before that exodus, the opportunity is lost until the following season.
Mallorcan yards and workshops execute high-value work on foreign-flagged superyachts. The yard's credit is a privileged maritime claim under the Geneva Convention 1999. When the owner does not pay, yacht arrest is the immediate tool to secure the claim before the vessel leaves port.
Mallorca is one of the Mediterranean's most active second-hand yacht markets. International transactions frequently generate disputes over unpaid price, vessel not as described or hidden defects discovered after purchase.
Palma marinas generate high-value seasonal berth and services invoices. When the offshore owner leaves at the end of the season without settling the bill, arrest during the final weeks is the only effective measure.
Mallorca is one of Spain's most active superyacht charter markets under MYBA contracts. Late cancellations, damage during charter and breach of conditions are the most frequent cases.
Captains and crew with unpaid wages or seasonal bonuses hold a privileged maritime claim that allows yacht arrest. Very common at the end of season.
A significant part of superyacht purchase and charter contracts in Palma are governed by English law with arbitration clauses before the LMAA or the LCIA. Yacht arrest in Spain is perfectly compatible with the arbitral proceedings in London. At Vectoris Legal we manage the arrest procedure in Palma and coordinate with our London correspondents when the contract requires it — a single point of contact for the client in Spain.
The competent court for yacht and ship arrest in Palma is the Commercial Court of Palma de Mallorca, at Carrer dels Bastions 15, 07003 Palma. It has jurisdiction over all Balearic Islands including Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera. The Maritime Captaincy of Palma executes the immobilisation order coordinating with each marina or yacht club. Minimum security: 15% of claimed amount by bank transfer or Spanish bank guarantee. Spanish courts do not accept P&I Club letters of undertaking unless expressly agreed in writing.
Do you need to arrest a yacht or superyacht in Palma de Mallorca? Has your vessel been arrested in the Balearics and do you need to release it urgently?
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✉ joansoler@vectorislegal.com · 🌐 vectorislegal.com
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