Odyssey cruise ship arrested in Singapore amid unpaid fuel claim
The Odyssey, a floating residence previously evacuated from Cambodia, was detained in Singapore after a court order following an unpaid fuel invoice of about $500,000.
The floating residence known as the Odyssey was detained in Singapore on Sunday at 10:34 a.m. local time, according to the Singapore Courts’ list of arrested vessels. In maritime law, an arrest means a court orders a ship to remain in port until a legal claim is resolved.
A Singapore law firm, Helmsman LLC, filed the request for the arrest, though the firm’s client was not identified in the court records. A source cited by CBS News suggested the claim may involve a fuel supplier, while the exact party that engaged the firm remains unclear.
CBS News also reported that Villa Vie Residences, the company that owns the Odyssey, owes a local supplier roughly $500,000. Villa Vie suspended operations last month, attributing the pause to sharply higher fuel costs linked to the conflict in Iran. The company said fuel expenses per cabin rose from about $1,800 to as much as $8,000 per month.
One former resident, Kit Cassingham, said the ship’s operators notified passengers that fuel could not be secured and gave a deadline to vacate. Cassingham, who paid roughly $370,000 to $380,000 for a cabin and $7,000 a month in additional costs, expressed doubt about receiving a refund. She also recalled earlier concerns, noting that in August passengers were asked to contribute cash to purchase fuel for the vessel’s departure from Singapore.