That’s a yacht of work.
Officials in the Dutch city of Rotterdam have agreed to spend the coming weeks dismantling the historic Koningshavenbrug Bridge at the request of Jeff Bezos. The construction project is part of an effort to make room for the Amazon founder’s record-breaking luxury ship, which will be the one of the biggest in the world once it is complete.
The 417-foot-long, three-masted superyacht is reportedly both too long and too tall to fit through the bridge. It is being built by the Oceano shipyard in Alblasserdam, Netherlands and will need to pass through the port city to reach the open water.
A picture shows barges docked on the Koningshaven waterway as the Koningshavenbrug "De Hef" lift bridge (right, rear) and the Koninginnebrug drawbridge (right, front) are seen in the background in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (SEBASTIEN BOZON/)
“It’s the only route to the sea,” a spokesman for the mayor of Rotterdam told AFP, adding that billionaire Bezos would foot the bill for the project.
A spokesperson for Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb’s office confirmed the middle section of the Dutch city’s bridge, known locally as De Hef, would be temporarily removed. Overall, it’s expected to take about two weeks and will provide the 130-foot clearance required for the luxury water vessel to pass through.
The move however, has triggered some backlash among locals, who have cited the bridge’s historic nature. It has stood in Rotterdam since 1927 and was severely damaged in a series of bombings carried out by the Nazis during World War II.
During renovations of the bridge in 2017, the city council promised residents the bridge it would never again be dismantled, but officials have said Bezos’ project will generate both revenue and jobs for the community.
Municipal project leader Marcel Walravens echoed the sentiment while rejecting suggestions to sail the partially finished boat beneath the bridge. He told AFP that it would be impractical.
“From an economic perspective and maintaining employment, the municipality considers this a very important project,” he said. “In addition, Rotterdam has also been declared the maritime capital of Europe. Shipbuilding and activity within that sector are therefore an important pillar of the municipality.”
Word of the superyacht, dubbed Y721, first emerged late last year. And while Oceano has remained mum on who it is constructing the ship for, a Bloomberg biography about Bezos in 2021 seemingly confirmed rumors that he would be its owner.
Forbes estimates the 56-year-old is worth more than $175 billion, making him the third-richest person in the world.
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