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Jeff Bezos’ New Yacht Is Finally Ready to Set Sail

Amazon’s founder has been spotted on Koru, a massive schooner with a design that evokes the golden age of sailing in the early 20th century.

By Kevin Koenig

Just in time for the high season of yachting in the Mediterranean, when multimillion-dollar megayachts descend on ports like Monte Carlo and St. Tropez, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has been photographed with his partner Lauren Sánchez on his new boat, Koru, off the coast of Spain.

Mr. Bezos’ vessel is a sailing yacht, a departure from the diesel-powered, floating palaces popular with other billionaires. But it is still massive. At 417 feet, Koru is the world’s largest sailing yacht, according to Boat International , and it cost an estimated $500 million to build, Bloomberg reported . (Parsifal III, the boat featured on Bravo’s reality series “Below Deck Sailing Yacht,” is 177 feet long — less than half the length of Koru — and cost $18 million , according to the website SuperYachtFan.)

A spokesperson for Mr. Bezos did not comment for this article; neither did Oceanco, Koru’s builder. Here is what to know about the boat.

For traditionalists, Koru is refreshing. At a time when yacht design skews outrageous — see the lizardlike, 262-foot Artefact or the otherworldly 463-foot Yas — Koru stands out as a schooner, a sailing vessel with two or more masts. Photos reveal a large sailboat with three masts, an on-deck pool and a voluptuous mermaid on the bow, that bears a resemblance to Ms. Sánchez. But otherwise, the sleek, classic lines suggest the patrician age of yachting in the early 20th century, said Robert B. MacKay, author of “The Golden Age of Newport Yachting: Between the Wars.”

“With the clipper bow and the dark hull and the masts,” Mr. MacKay said, referring to Koru’s concave, pointy forward section, “it reminds me of a boat built in 1930 for J.P. Morgan Jr., Corsair IV. It is almost like a reincarnation. It’s certainly at odds with the stuff the oligarchs are building — those look like bloated Clorox bottles.”

Compared with the world’s very largest motor yachts — built for sheer size and the accompanying bragging rights — Koru could almost be considered quaint. Azzam, one of the world’s largest motor yachts, is nearly 200 feet longer.

The Experience

Koru will be propelled primarily by the wind. “Sailboats are usually greener than most powerboats,” said Don Anderson, a former captain of M5 , the world’s largest single-masted sailboat, at 256 feet. “I’d like to think that Koru will be one of the most ecological yachts out there, with its sails and also with the technology that will be aboard.”

“When you’re on a sailboat, you’re more in touch with the wind and the waves than on a powerboat,” he continued. “You’re more susceptible to the elements, too. But you can leave California, and once you get past the Catalinas you can basically surf downwind all the way to Hawaii. All you need to do is run with the waves.”

Mr. Bezos has been a guest on similar boats, according to Bloomberg: In 2019, he was spotted on Eos , a 305-foot sailing yacht owned by Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg.

Bill Tripp, a Connecticut-based naval architect, said the appeal of this type of boat is clear: “When you are on a powerboat, you ask, ‘Are we there yet?’ and on a sailboat, you’re enjoying the ride and the ocean so much that you don’t ask that question.”

Koru will be trailed by Abeona, a 246-foot support vessel. Superyachts often have support vessels following along behind them. These “shadows,” as they are colloquially known, are for the “toys” — the ATVs, supercars, seaplanes, motorcycles, smaller boats, scuba gear, personal submarines and even helicopters that pleasure boaters might bring on a trip. According to its builder, this model of boat can carry these gadgets along with dozens of crew members. (Ms. Sanchez flies helicopters, and the couple was recently photographed taking a helicopter to board Abeona and then Koru.)

Abeona, a motor yacht, will have enough range to follow Koru from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean — a common course for yachts — on a single tank of gas.

The Kerfuffle

Koru set off a controversy last year — before it was even completed — in a face-off with the Dutch city of Rotterdam. The boat was built at Oceanco’s facility in Alblasserdam, the Netherlands, and needed to pass the historic Koningshaven Bridge, known as “De Hef,” in Rotterdam, to undergo testing in the North Sea.

When the city announced it would dismantle the bridge to allow the boat and its mainmast — an estimated 230 feet tall — to pass through unscathed, locals were angry. They planned a protest to throw eggs at the yacht as it cruised by. In the end, the bridge was not taken apart, and the yacht was towed to a different location to have its masts attached.

Koru is Maori for “coil” or “loop” and refers to the unfurling of a fern frond. The koru design is common in traditional Maori art, where it symbolizes new life, growth and peace. Mr. Bezos included a photo of a koru frond in an Instagram post on Jan. 1, 2022.

Brad Stone, who was the first to report on Koru, in his 2021 book “Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire,” said the name was “consistent with where we see him today.”

“He is no longer this single-minded tech guy,” Mr. Stone said. “He’s in media and Hollywood and has a new relationship.”

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Has the World Finally Had a Glimpse of Jeff Bezos’s $500 Million Mega-Yacht?

By Shivani Vora

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is appears to be getting closer to welcoming the superyacht he reportedly commissioned in 2018: a fancy toy fitting for the world’s second-richest person, given that it costs a reported $500 million and breaks one world record after another.

Called Y721, this vessel of all vessels is being custom designed by Dutch builder Oceanco and was spotted at a shipyard last week in Zwijndrecht, a town in the western Netherlands. It’s reportedly heading to another Netherlands town, Alblasserdam, for a final fitting. With a length of 417 feet, Y721 is the biggest sailing yacht in the world and the longest vessel to be built in the Netherlands. Features include a black hull, classic shape, three large decks, and three masts.

Superyacht Bravo Eugenia , belonging to the U.S. billionaire Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, was built by Oceanco, which is also rumored to be behind Bezos’s new massive vessel.

Y721 is going to totally change the world of yachting with its design and innovation, says Fernando Nicholson, a luxury yacht sales broker with the yachting company Camper & Nicholsons. “It’s a boat with the latest technology and bells and whistles that have never been seen,” he says. “This will be the standard for all superyachts to follow, but in years to come, when its features become more affordable. Right now, only someone with Bezos’s wealth can swing the cost.”

The superyacht is said to be modeled after Oceanco’s famous yacht, the Black Pearl , which the company site says , “is one of the largest and most ecological sailing yachts in the world. She can cross the Atlantic without burning even a liter of fossil fuel.” Y721 will go through sea trails following its fitting-out in Alblasserdam and is expected to be ready sometime next year.

The Flying Fox , allegedly owned by Bezos.

However, it’s only one of two new boats for Bezos: He has also commissioned a shadow vessel called YS 7512 from builder Damen Yachts. This support ship measures 246 feet in length and accommodates 45 additional crew and guests. It will also feature a helipad and meeting space and have a vast amount of storage for Bezos’s endless number of water toys, with diving and snorkeling gear, jet and water skis, waterslides, and surfboards among the bunch. Shadow vessels are a growing phenomenon in the superyacht industry and one more extra toy that their owners want to have at the ready, says Nicholson. “You see them more and more now as an add-on to a superyacht purchase,” he says. “They’ve almost become a must.”

There’s no doubt that Bezos will be sailing the high seas in full panache and style come 2022. But really, is there any other way when you have more money than almost anyone else in the world and attract an endless amount of attention too?

By Katie Schultz

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Live updates, jeff bezos’ massive new $500m superyacht — complete with helipad and pool — spotted in north sea.

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Hoist up the Jeff B sails.

Amazon honcho Jeff Bezos’ $500 million superyacht Koru, codenamed Y721, is finally seaworthy — spotted in the North Sea after leaving Rotterdam on Feb. 13,  footage posted by the organization Dutch Yachting  shows.

The massive, 417-foot vessel’s test run came months after it was originally set to be delivered to the 59-year-old billionaire. 

It requires a 250-foot support vessel that houses a helicopter landing pad for the Blue Origin founder.

Bezos’ mega boat created controversy last year after a report that Dutch officials would  have to dismantle  the historic Koningshaven Bridge because the 130-foot steel structure wouldn’t allow the vessel and its 229-foot masts to pass through.

Following an uproar from residents, local leaders decided the plan was a bridge too far — and the boat was towed from its construction location to another shipyard in a nearby town without its masts,  according to Jalopnik .

The uproar likely played a big part in how and when it would float away.

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Citizens of Rotterdam reportedly swore in February that, should Bezos’ superyacht traverse the De Hef bridge, they would pelt it with eggs in protest . 

And when it finally came time to move the vessel out of its Dutch shipbuilding yard, the decision was made to tow it away under cover of darkness, the Cut reported.

Koru costs about $25 million a year to run. The pleasure boat can accommodate 18 guests — and requires a crew of 40 sailors.

It is far from the world’s most expensive yacht. That dubious honor is reserved for the $4.8 billion History Supreme — a gold- and platinum-plated vessel featuring a Tyrannosaurus rex bone wall made of meteoric stone. It was bought in 2011 by an anonymous Malaysian businessman,  according to the Richest .

Yet the half-billion-dollar price tag is a relative drop in the ocean for the Amazon founder, whose net worth was valued at  $181 billion  by Forbes.

Koru will join a fleet of superyachts , helicopters and planes already owned by the entrepreneur and his millionaire girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez.

The aluminum and steel schooner reportedly boasts three decks, including one with a swimming pool. 

The smaller, 250-foot support vessel that will sit alongside the mammoth one will include a helicopter landing pad for Bezos or his celebrity guests. This smaller yacht is also expected to be loaded with an array of toys including luxury cars, jet skis, speedboats, and perhaps even a personal submarine, the Daily Mail has reported .

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Jeff Bezos' $500 Million Yacht: A Look at the World's Largest Private Vessel

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, is known for his extravagant lifestyle and love for luxury yachts. In April 2023, Bezos took delivery of his newest and largest yacht, Koru, which cost a staggering $500 million or more. At 417 feet, Koru is the world's largest sailing yacht, surpassing the previous record holder, the 106-meter Black Pearl.

Built by Oceanco in the Netherlands, Koru is a three-masted sailing yacht that features a sleek and modern design. Unlike other yachts owned by billionaires, Koru is powered by wind and sails, rather than diesel engines. It is reported that the yacht has a range of 7,000 nautical miles and can accommodate up to 36 guests and 60 crew members. The yacht is also equipped with a helipad, a swimming pool, a spa, and a gym.

The delivery of Koru has sparked controversy and criticism, with some arguing that the money spent on the yacht could have been put to better use. However, Bezos has defended his purchase, stating that he plans to use the yacht for scientific research and exploration. Regardless of the controversy, there is no denying that Koru is a stunning and impressive vessel that will undoubtedly turn heads wherever it sails.

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has recently taken delivery of his new sailing yacht, Koru, after it completed its initial sea trials. The vessel is reportedly worth $500 million, making it one of the most expensive yachts in the world. This section will provide an overview of the yacht, the builder, and the cost.

Koru is a three-masted sailing yacht that is 417 feet long, making it the largest sailing yacht in the world. It was built by Oceanco, a Dutch shipyard that has built many superyachts for wealthy clients. The yacht has a steel hull and a superstructure made of aluminum. It is equipped with all the luxury amenities that one would expect from a yacht of this caliber, including a pool, a support vessel, and a range of water toys.

The Builder

Oceanco is a leading superyacht builder based in the Netherlands. The shipyard has built many of the world's most impressive yachts, including the Black Pearl, which is one of the largest sailing yachts in the world. Oceanco has a reputation for building high-quality yachts that are both luxurious and innovative.

Koru reportedly cost $500 million to build, which makes it one of the most expensive yachts in the world. The yacht was built in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and was delivered to Bezos in May 2023. The cost of the yacht has been a source of controversy, with some critics arguing that it is an excessive display of wealth.

In conclusion, Koru is a stunning sailing yacht that is equipped with all the luxury amenities that one would expect from a yacht of this caliber. It was built by Oceanco, a leading superyacht builder based in the Netherlands. The yacht reportedly cost $500 million to build, making it one of the most expensive yachts in the world.

Design and Features

Jeff Bezos' yacht, Y721, boasts an impressive design and features that make it stand out from other superyachts. The yacht has been under construction at the Oceanco shipyard in Rotterdam since 2019 and is set to be delivered in 2022.

Layout and Amenities

The Y721 is a 127-meter sailing yacht that will become the largest sailing yacht in the world upon delivery. The yacht features a sleek black hull with classic lines and a uniquely designed bowsprit - a custom spar extending forward from the ship's bow to which her forestays are fastened. The yacht's layout includes six decks, with ample space for guests and crew.

The yacht's interior is designed by Nuvolari Lenard and features a contemporary style with a focus on natural light and open spaces. The yacht has several lounges, including a main salon, a sky lounge, and a beach club. The beach club is located at the stern and includes a swimming pool, a cinema, and a gym.

Support Vessel

The Y721 also comes with a support vessel, the YS7512, which is a 75-meter Damen Yacht. The support vessel is designed to carry additional equipment, such as helicopters, tenders, and water toys. The support vessel also includes accommodation for additional guests and crew.

Toys and Entertainment

The Y721 is equipped with a range of toys and entertainment options to keep guests entertained during their stay. The yacht has a variety of water toys, including jet skis, paddleboards, and kayaks. The yacht also has a submarine, which can take guests on underwater excursions.

In addition to the water toys, the yacht has a cinema and a selection of board games and books. The yacht also has a wooden sculpture on display, adding to the yacht's artistic appeal.

Overall, the Y721 is an impressive yacht with a range of features that make it stand out from other superyachts. From the spacious layout to the range of amenities and toys on offer, the yacht is sure to provide guests with a memorable experience.

Media Coverage

News coverage.

Jeff Bezos' new yacht has been the subject of much media attention since its completion. Major news outlets such as The New York Times, BBC News, and CNN have all reported on the yacht, with some referring to it as a "superyacht" and others as a "megayacht". The yacht, named Koru, is reportedly worth $500 million and is 417 feet long.

News coverage of the yacht has focused on its size, luxury, and the fact that it is owned by one of the world's wealthiest individuals. Some reports have also speculated about the yacht's environmental impact, given its size and the fact that it is a sailing yacht rather than a motor yacht.

Social Media

The yacht has also generated significant buzz on social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram. Many users have shared photos and videos of the yacht, expressing awe at its size and opulence. Some have also criticized Bezos for spending so much money on a yacht, arguing that the funds could be put to better use elsewhere.

The yacht has also been the subject of memes and jokes on social media, with some users poking fun at its size and the fact that it reportedly requires a smaller yacht to transport its support equipment.

Overall, media coverage of Jeff Bezos' new yacht has been extensive, with both traditional news outlets and social media users weighing in on the yacht's significance. While some have praised the yacht as a symbol of personal growth and renewal for Bezos, others have criticized it as a display of excessive wealth and indulgence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the name of jeff bezos' yacht.

Jeff Bezos' yacht is called "Koru".

How big is Jeff Bezos' yacht?

Koru is a three-masted sailing yacht that is 127 meters (417 feet) long.

Who designed Jeff Bezos' yacht?

Koru was designed by the Dutch yacht builder, Oceanco.

What is the cost of Jeff Bezos' yacht?

The estimated cost of Koru is $500 million.

Where was Jeff Bezos' yacht built?

Koru was built in the Netherlands by Oceanco.

How many crew members are on Jeff Bezos' yacht?

It is not clear how many crew members are on Koru, but it is expected to have a large crew to maintain and operate the yacht.

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Jeff Bezos’s New Yacht Comes With Its Own Yacht?

Another day, another reason that we must simply eat the rich. Construction is almost complete on the $500 million superyacht purchased by Amazon Daddy and Lizzo superfan Jeff Bezos. The 417-foot-long monstrosity, which Bezos bought two years ago, is among the biggest ever built in the Netherlands, the unofficial big-boat-building capital of the world.

What does a yacht longer than a football field come with? Multiple decks, an “ ambient cinema,” and its own support yacht. Yes, the yacht comes with its own yacht.

Project Y721 — the big boat’s temporary name — also has its own helipad. This is apropos given the rumors that Bezos’s sudden interest in helicopters may be what exposed his affair with now-girlfriend and famously “alive girl” Lauren Sanchez.

On top of the half-a-billion-dollar price tag, operating costs for the yacht will average about $60 million a year, per Bloomberg . To put that into context, for someone who makes $68,700 a year, the current median income in the U.S., that’d be like paying $23 in yearly operating costs. A pittance for the literal richest man on the planet.

Bezos isn’t the only rich person continuing to do rich-person things amid a struggling global economy. As Bloomberg reports, the yacht industry is among the few markets that thrived despite the spread of coronavirus. This shouldn’t come as any surprise, given the pandemic made the rich even richer . Bezos, for example, saw his wealth increase by 57 percent, per CBS News . Between March 18, 2020, and March, 18 2021, Bezos’s worth grew from $113 billion to $178 billion. Last year, the median income among Amazon employees was $29,007, per Business Insider .

Perhaps this purchase is Bezos in full post-divorce crisis mode. (He did buy the yacht the same year he and MacKenzie Scott announced they would be splitting.) While Scott recently remarried , Bezos continues to surround himself with the biggest, dumbest things money can buy. If anything, this all just further proof that the only good boats are the ones that get stuck .

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The country that wants to ‘be average’ vs. Jeff Bezos and his $500 million yacht

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — The image would have been a social media phenomenon: a few thousand citizens of the Netherlands’ second largest city, standing beside a river and hurling eggs at the gleaming, new 417-foot sailing yacht built for Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder and one of the world’s richest men. By the time the boat passed the crowd, it would have been spattered with bright orange yolk, plus at least one very bright spot of red.

“I would have thrown a tomato,” said Stefan Lewis, a former City Council member. “I eat mostly vegan.”

One recent afternoon, Lewis was standing near the Hef, as the Koningshaven Bridge is affectionately known, and explaining the anger that Bezos and Oceanco, the maker of the three-masted, $500 million schooner, inspired after making what may have sounded like a fairly benign request. The company asked the local government to briefly dismantle the elevated middle span of the Hef, which is 230 feet tall at its highest point, allowing the vessel to sail down the King’s Harbor channel and out to sea. The whole process would have taken a day or two and Oceanco would have covered the costs.

Also worth noting: The bridge, a lattice of moss-green steel in the shape of a hulking “H,” is not actually used by anyone. It served as a railroad bridge for decades until it was replaced by a tunnel and decommissioned in the early 1990s. It’s been idle ever since.

In sum, the operation would have been fast, free and disrupted nothing. So why the fuss?

“There’s a principle at stake,” said Lewis, a tall, bearded 37-year-old who was leaning against his bike and toggling during an interview between wry humor and indignation. He then framed the principle with a series of questions. “What can you buy if you have unlimited cash? Can you bend every rule? Can you take apart monuments?”

In late June, the city’s vice mayor reported that Oceanco had withdrawn its request to dismantle the Hef, a retreat that was portrayed as a victory of the masses over a billionaire, though it was much more than that. It was an opportunity to see Dutch and American values in a fiery, head-on collision. The more you know about the Netherlands — with its preference for modesty over extravagance, for the community over the individual, for fitting in rather than standing out — the more it seems as though this kerfuffle was scripted by someone whose goal was to drive people here out of their minds.

Related More on the Maritime Industry

• Yacht reportedly built for Jeff Bezos too big for Dutch bridge (February)
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The first problem was the astounding wealth of Bezos.

“The Dutch like to say, ‘Acting normal is crazy enough,’” said Ellen Verkoelen, a City Council member and Rotterdam leader of the 50Plus Party, which works on behalf of pensioners. “And we think that rich people are not acting normal. Here in Holland, we don’t believe that everybody can be rich the way people do in America, where the sky is the limit. We think ‘Be average.’ That’s good enough.”

Verkoelen was among those who considered Oceanco’s request a reasonable concession to a company in a highly competitive industry. But she heard from dozens of infuriated voters, all of them adamantly opposed. She understood the origins of the fervor, which she illustrated with a story from her childhood.

“When I was about 11 years old, we had an American boy stay with us for a week, an exchange student,” she recalled. “And my mother told him, just make your own sandwich like you do in America. Instead of putting one sausage on his bread, he put on five. My mother was too polite to say anything to him, but to me she said in Dutch, ‘We will never eat like that in this house.’”

At school, Verkoelen learned from friends that the American children in their homes all ate the same way. They were stunned and a little jealous. At the time, it was said in the Netherlands that putting both butter and cheese on your bread was “the devil’s sandwich.” Choose one, went the thinking. You don’t need both.

Building the Earth’s biggest sailing yacht and taking apart a city’s beloved landmark? That’s the devil’s all-you-can-eat buffet. The streak of austerity in Dutch culture can be traced to Calvinism, say residents, the most popular religious branch of Protestantism here for hundreds of years. It emphasizes virtues like self-discipline, frugality and conscientiousness. Polls suggest that most people in the Netherlands today are not churchgoers, but the norms are embedded, as evidenced by Dutch attitudes toward wealth.

“Calvin teaches that you’re given stewardship over your money, that you have a responsibility to take care of it, which means giving lots of it away, being generous to others,” said James Kennedy, a professor of modern Dutch history at Utrecht University. “Work is a divine calling for which you will be held accountable. It’s considered bad for society and bad for your soul if you spend in ostentatious ways.”

There are billionaires in the Netherlands and a huge pay gap between CEOs and employees. Statista, a research firm, reported that for every dollar earned by an average worker, CEOs earned $171. (The figure is $265 in the United States, the widest gap of any country.) The difference is that the rich in the Netherlands don’t flaunt it, just as the powerful don’t highlight their cachet. The Dutch once ran one of the world’s largest empires, but there’s a certain pride here that the prime minister of the country rides a bicycle to pay visits to the king — yes, the Netherlands has a royal family, which is also relatively low-key — and locks the bicycle outside the palace.

There’s a premium on equality that has survived the country’s struggles to assimilate immigrants and a gentrification boom that is pricing the middle- and working-class out of cities. An ethos endures that nobody is any better than anyone else, or deserves more, and it stems from an unignorable geographic fact. Roughly one-third of the Netherlands is below sea level and citizens for centuries have had little choice but to band together to create an infrastructure of dikes and drainage systems to remain alive.

“The Netherlands is built on cooperation,” said Paul van de Laar, a professor of history at Erasmus University. “There were constant threats of disaster from the 15th and 16th century. Protestants and Catholics knew that to survive, they could not quarrel too much.”

Chip in. Blend in. Help others. These are among the highest ideals of the Netherlands. Does this sound like a country eager to cut some slack to a man with $140 billion and a $500 million boat? It didn’t help that Dutch critics of Bezos believe that employees at Amazon are underpaid, which, given his fortune, strikes them as not just grotesquely unfair but immoral. “He doesn’t pay his taxes,” is a common refrain in this city, and it doesn’t mean that Bezos is considered a tax cheat. It means that he isn’t fighting inequality by sharing his money, an obligation that transcends the tax code.

(Emails to Amazon were not returned. Bezos did not respond to a ProPublica article last year, based on leaked IRS files, that showed he paid a tiny percent of his fortune in federal income taxes, using perfectly legal methods.)

The Rotterdam vs. Bezos brawl first made international headlines in February, when news broke that Oceanco had been granted city approval to briefly take apart the middle of the Hef. (The cost of this operation was never made public.) The assent had come from a civil servant who apparently didn’t see the harm. An uproar ensued.

“I thought it was a joke,” said Lewis, who learned about the permission on Facebook from incredulous friends. “So I called the vice mayor’s office and asked, ‘Is this for real?’ And they said, ‘We don’t know anything about this.’ It wasn’t on their radar. It took them a day to get back to me.”

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When word of the accommodation reached the public, fuming residents became a staple of local TV news and a Facebook group formed to organize that mass egg pelting. (“Dismantling the Hef for Jeff Bezos’ latest toy? Come throw eggs…”) One aggrieved council member soon likened the masts of the yacht to a giant middle finger, pointed at the city.

Oceanco, which employs more than 300 people, has not spoken publicly about its decision to rescind its Hef request and did not respond to an email for comment. News reports stated that the company was concerned about threats against employees and about vandalism.

It’s unclear how the yacht, now known as Y721, will be completed. In February, the City Council’s municipality liaison, Marcel Walravens, was quoted in the media saying that it was impractical to float the mast-less yacht to another location and finish it there.

To van de Laar, the real villain in this tale is not Oceanco or Bezos, who probably had never heard of the Hef. It’s the City Council, which completely misunderstood the depth of feelings about the bridge and bungled the messaging about its decision.

“Emotions are important,” he said. “The council didn’t grasp that, which is incredibly stupid.” The issue wasn’t just this particular billionaire and this particular yacht. It was this particular bridge. To outsiders, the Hef looks like an ungainly industrial workhorse that no longer works.

That’s not what locals see. When opened in 1927 it was considered an architectural marvel, one celebrated by Dutch documentarian Joris Ivens, in his 1928 film “The Bridge.”

“There are poems about the Hef,” said Arij De Boode, co-author of “The Hef: Biography of a Railroad Bridge.” “Anyone who makes a movie about Rotterdam includes the Hef. It’s more than a bridge.”

Rotterdam is one of the few European cities in which nearly all the buildings, both commercial and residential, are new because the place was bombed to devastating effect by the Nazis in World War II. It turned this into a city of the future, always looking ahead, tearing down whatever doesn’t work or isn’t needed.

Except for the Hef. It has become the city’s most recognizable landmark. After the war, it became a symbol of resilience and to locals of an older generation, the Hef is a rare link to the past.

When there was talk decades ago of tearing it down, residents protested. It was declared a national monument in 2000 and underwent a three-year restoration that ended in 2017. Today, the Hef stands as a triumph of function over form that no longer functions, a monolith that can’t be altered, even temporarily — no matter who asks, no matter the price.

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The Most Incredible Features Of Jeff Bezos' $500 Million Mega Yacht

Jeff Bezos, the second-richest man in the world, will soon be the owner of a $500 million newly-constructed mega yacht in the Netherlands. While there is not a lot of information about the super yacht, there are a few facts that can be gleaned from the ship manufacturer's website and also several media publications. However, what is confirmed is that this yacht is supposed to be 417 feet long (127 meters), have several decks, and feature three gigantic black masts (via Bloomberg ).

The ship is called the Y721 and it is reportedly made by Oceanco, a custom ship builder that produces some of the world's largest and most luxurious boats. The company is owned by Omani billionaire businessman , Mohammed Al Barwani, and is based in the Netherlands. According to the luxury magazine  Robb Report , this uber-luxurious boat is expected to be the world's largest sailing yacht when completed.

It is super-sized

As superyachts go, the Y721 is extremely large. At 417 feet, it is one of the largest sailing yachts ever built in the Netherlands, according to Time Magazine . It is so colossal that for it to sail out of the harbor to go to the ocean, it has to pass by an iconic Dutch steel bridge that has a center part that can be removed so the vessel can pass through safely. This bridge, known as De Hef (literally translated as The Lift), is a lift bridge that can raise 130 feet in the air. That still isn't high enough to accommodate the yacht's tall masts, and the process of raising the bridge so the ship can exit can't be described as simple, either. Additionally, the breadth of its sails and supports makes it unsafe for a helicopter to land on the yacht without clipping its masts, so Bezos has reportedly commissioned a support yacht with a helipad to travel alongside the titanic cruiser (via Time).

The 246-foot shadow yacht known as the YS7512 will be the base for the Amazon billionaire's helipad, but it will also feature meeting spaces, and storage for his jet skis, water toys, and snorkeling and diving gear. It can accommodate up to 45 crew and guests (via Architectural Digest ).

It is a clean, green machine

In Brad Stone's book, "Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire," the vessel is described as being "one of the finest sailing yachts in existence." Although this luxury cruiser will almost certainly have fineries fit for a business mogul like Bezos, it is also said to be environmentally friendly. Oceanco based the blueprint on its award-winning , sustainable Black Pearl Yacht. The company says on its website that this ship is one of the largest and most eco-friendly sailing yachts in the world, and can cross the Atlantic without burning any fossil fuel.

It features technology such as DynaRig carbon masts, solar power, and a hybrid-propulsion system. It also has a waste-heat recovery system onboard that uses thermal energy and residual heat from exhaust gas to transform into electrical energy. While the construction of the superyacht has been reported by multiple media sources, the Daily Mail reports that Oceanco has declined to comment on whether this yacht was commissioned by Jeff Bezos.

Bezos can fly to the yacht, but only with the help of a support vessel

If Bezos is on land and the superyacht isn't docked, the Amazon owner isn't going to have to row back to his vessel when he wants to get on board — he can simply take a short flight to the boat via helicopter (via Bloomberg ), though that requires him to land on a support yacht. Using a helicopter to fly to his yacht is something that would have, at one point in time, sounded very unlikely given Bezos' mixed history with whirlybirds. He actually survived a helicopter crash back in 2003 when scouting for sites to use for his spacefaring venture Blue Origin. 

Bezos was on board with the pilot and two staff members when the overloaded aircraft started to struggle after taking off. The pilot was left dodging trees and desperately trying to get the helicopter out of danger. He didn't succeed, and eventually, the tail boom collided with a tree, causing the chopper to spin. The helicopter eventually ended up in a creek, but Bezos walked away from the incident. Recalling the crash in Fortune Magazine, Bezos quipped, "I thought, what a dumb way to die."

Given the circumstances, it is unsurprising that Bezos allegedly hated helicopters for many years. However, his hatred of the transportation method had reportedly evaporated by 2018 and been replaced by enthusiasm. It was this switch in attitude that, according to the New York Post , alerted Amazon executives to Bezos' affair with helicopter pilot and owner of Black Ops Aviation Lauren Sanchez. Bezos would eventually divorce his wife and the mother of his four children, MacKenzie Scott, and make his relationship with Sanchez public.

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Jeff Bezos' $500 Million Yacht Has a Sculpture of Lauren Sánchez — With a Hidden Reference to 'New Beginnings'

The Sánchez-inspired sculpture is wearing the symbol for Koru, which symbolizes new life, growth, strength, and peace, a symbol that is special to the couple

Jeff Bezos ' superyacht has a new look!

The Amazon founder, 59, now has a wooden sculpture made in the likeness of his girlfriend Lauren Sánchez on the prow.

The sculpture can be seen on his $500-million dollar yacht named Koru — the one the couple was spotted sailing around the Spanish island Mallorca on this past Monday. The Sánchez-inspired sculpture is wearing the symbol for Koru, which is Māori for loop or coil, and is based on the spiral shape of an unfurling silver fern frond, as a necklace — a symbol that is special to the couple.

Koru symbolizes new beginnings — which Bezos has cited before on his Instagram — and a new phase of life, positive change, personal growth, and hope for the future — one of the most important symbols of Māori traditions.

Bezos posted a photo of Koru on Instagram on New Year's Day in a slideshow of pictures from his disco party.

"The new year is also a great time to take stock and focus on personal growth, renewal, rebirth, and paying careful attention to each moment of your life," he wrote. "The good and the bad. All of it. Celebrate and grow."

The yacht — believed to be the largest sailing yacht in the world, features three towering masts , and several decks, including one with a pool, according to Boat International .

Bezos and Sánchez, 53, went public with their relationship in 2019 after Bezos announced his divorce from his wife of 25 years MacKenzie . When Bezos turned 58, Sánchez wrote on Instagram that she wanted the world to see Bezos as she does.

"They don't see the man who puts everything aside to help a sick friend, but my eyes do," she added. "They don't see the man who wakes up early every morning to make breakfast for the kids so they can laugh and talk about life and science and how to make this world a better place—my eyes do. They don't see the man who wants everyone to feel joy, who's [sic] heart is immeasurable and who's [sic] ability to love is infinite. My eyes see this."

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This past January, the former Good Day LA co-host wished Bezos a happy 59th birthday with another tribute on Instagram. "Happy birthday to the man of my dreams, who lights up my world with his laughter and kind heart. You have shown me that no great love is not bravely fought for," she wrote. "I am so grateful for the memories we have made and the adventures yet to come."

Earlier this month, Bezos and Sánchez were spotted together at the F1 Miami Grand Prix. They also attended Coachella together in April and were seen dancing during Bad Bunny 's set.

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Jeff Bezos $500 Million Dollar Yacht

Feb 21, 2022

The founder and executive chairman of the well-known corporation Amazon , Jeff Bezos, recently made headlines by investing about $500 million in a new yacht. Controversy surrounds this insane build of the world’s largest sailing yacht, which will necessitate the removal of a historic bridge in order to move it. Let’s take a closer look at all of the features of this incredible yacht, as well as the current transportation scenario.

(Source: Forbes)

The SuperYacht

There are three other well-known tech millionaires who are commissioning boats, but they are not as huge as the one Bezos is building. Many say this is another opportunity for these well-padded men, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, and new People magazine owner Barry Diller, to show off and one-up one other. Needless to say, the scale of these yachts is amazing, and you will be astounded by everything that has been intended to be on board.

Y721 Overview

Once completed, this boat will be known as the world’s largest sailing super-yacht.

Owner: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos Cost:  $500 million Features:  Three deck levels, a swimming pool, a helicopter landing pad on the tender, and a kinetic-propulsion system. Length:  417 feet Speed:  20 knots Passengers:  40 crew, 18 guests Running costs:  $25 million a year www.nypost.com

(Source: BOAT International)

Transportation Dilemma

Many local citizens in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, are outraged by the necessity to dismantle their historic bridge in order to transfer Bezos’ yacht. As a result of their rage, one person has organized a Facebook event to hurl rotten eggs at his super-yacht in retribution. Over 20,000 people have indicated that they would attend the event via rsvp. There isn’t another option for Amazon’s founder to relocate his ship, unfortunately. As a result, we sincerely hope he finds a way through this coming stumbling block. We are eager to see how the sailing super-yacht will appear after the sails have been attached.

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Jeff Bezos continues homebuying spree with a $90 million mansion in Miami’s ‘Billionaire Bunker’ area

Jeff Bezos might be the biggest snowbird of them all. In November 2023, the founder and former CEO of Amazon announced his move from Seattle to Miami , which was surprising at the time—until we learned how much he’d be saving in taxes thanks to Florida’s billionaire-friendly tax code.

Now, Bezos has bought his third mansion on South Florida’s Indian Creek Island, according to a Bloomberg report . The Miami home in this exclusive neighborhood, known as Billionaire Bunker, set him back $90 million. Bezos already owns $147 million worth of property there, split between two mansions. He also owns properties in Washington, Maui, and Beverly Hills. 

But Bezos doesn’t plan to split his time between these three mansions. Instead, he’ll reportedly raze all three properties to build a megamansion, according to Realtor.com . He’ll live at the home he most recently purchased at 28 Indian Creek Island Road while construction is underway. The six-bedroom, 10-bathroom home is more than 15,000 square feet and was most recently sold in 1998 for just $2.5 million, according to Miami-Dade County property records .

Bezos and Amazon didn’t respond to requests for comment from Fortune about the transaction.

Why Bezos moved to Florida in the first place

Bezos announced that the reason behind his cross-country move was to be closer to his parents—and that he and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, “love Miami,” according to an Instagram reel . He had lived in Seattle since 1994, when he started his e-commerce empire from his garage. Now he’s worth about $200 billion , according to Forbes.

Aside from family ties, it’s no wonder that Bezos would want to hang on to as much of his money as possible—especially after his blockbuster divorce from MacKenzie Scott, which cost him a whopping $38.3 billion. Bezos joins a roster of ultrawealthy figures who have made the move to Florida likely as a way to save more money in taxes. 

In 2022, Washington’s capital gains tax had reached 7%, while Florida had no capital gains tax. Indeed, the difference between Washington’s and Florida’s capital gains tax rates had already saved Bezos almost $300 million as of mid-February, Fortune previously reported . That was just after Bezos sold 24 million Amazon shares, worth more than $4 billion . Since then, he’s offloaded a total of 50 million shares, netting him $8.5 billion.

“Florida is very, very favorable for someone like Jeff Bezos,” John Pantekidis, managing partner and general counsel at TwinFocus , which manages over $7 billion for ultra-high-net-worth families, told Fortune ’s Alicia Adamczyk in mid-February.  “They make it very cost effective for folks like Jeff to live down there. It’s ideal, it’s nirvana.”

Other figures who have flocked to Florida—and this Billionaire Bunker neighborhood in particular—include Tom Brady, Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner. Aside from the financial break they get in taxes, Indian Creek Island residents enjoy a 300-acre gated community and a man-made barrier island, and there are only 41 properties in the neighborhood. That makes it “one of the wealthiest, private, most secure communities in Miami Beach, and the world,” according to Florida-based luxury real estate firm the Light Group. 

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• Jeff Bezos Acquires $90 Million Florida Residence as His $147 Million Properties Are Set for Mega Mansion Transformation

J eff Bezos ranked as the world’s second-wealthiest individual with a staggering net worth of $203.7 billion, has recently made significant strides in the real estate realm, particularly in Florida’s prestigious Indian Creek Island, famously dubbed as the “Billionaire Bunker.”

Bezos initiated his real estate endeavor with the acquisition of two lavish mansions, amounting to a whopping $147 million. Demonstrating his appetite for upscale properties, Bezos further expanded his portfolio by adding a third residence, fetching a hefty price tag of $90 million.

The latest addition to Bezos’s collection boasts six bedrooms and nine bathrooms, secured through an exclusive off-market transaction. Property records reveal its last sale in 1998, fetching a mere $2.5 million under the ownership of banker Javier Holtz.

Despite the opulence exuded by the property, Zillow’s valuation stands at approximately $41 million, marking a substantial disparity from Bezos’s agreed purchase price. This divergence underscores the premium attributed by Bezos, possibly due to its prime location, exclusivity, or potential as a bespoke home site, surpassing its estimated market value.

Miami is poised to supersede New York as the United States’ financial epicenter, presenting lucrative investment opportunities in the city with a nominal starting capital as low as $500, preluding this inevitable shift.

Positioned adjacent to the residences of Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and NFL luminary Tom Brady, Bezos’s recent acquisitions nestle within one of America’s most affluent neighborhoods, Indian Creek. This enclave comprises a mere 80 opulent dwellings, each nestled within expansive estates, offering residents exclusive amenities, including a private golf course and country club, epitomizing a lifestyle of opulence.

Recent reports from Bloomberg hint at Bezos’s ambitious scheme to raze the initial two properties to erect a colossal mansion. However, this plan awaits official confirmation from Bezos himself.

Beyond the realm of luxury real estate, Bezos’s relocation to Florida underscores strategic acumen, coinciding with his divestment of approximately $8.5 billion worth of Amazon shares. Florida’s favorable tax landscape, characterized by the absence of state income tax, presents a substantial tax advantage, particularly for high-net-worth individuals managing substantial transactions like Bezos.

Bezos’s latest real estate endeavors, alongside his decision to liquidate Amazon stock, usher in a new chapter, intertwining personal aspirations with a Floridian transition, leveraging the state’s advantageous tax regime. His migration to Miami, fostering proximity to family and his aerospace venture Blue Origin, reflects a convergence of personal, professional, and tax-related motives underpinning the move.

While Bezos’s real estate ventures may seem beyond the reach of the average individual, entry into the real estate arena necessitates not millions but minimal initial investments.

Through Bezos-backed enterprises, real estate investment trusts (REITs), or crowdfunding platforms, opportunities abound to engage in real estate with as little as $100. These avenues democratize access to the traditionally high-barrier real estate industry, offering a pathway for nearly anyone to participate in property investment, regardless of financial stature.

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Go check out the first photos of a shirtless Jeff Bezos enjoying his new $500 million megayacht with girlfriend Lauren Sanchez

• A shirtless Jeff Bezos and his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, have been spotted on his new $500 million yacht.
• The 417-foot vessel had stirred controversy when it nearly required a historic bridge be dismantled for it to pass.
• Residents threatened to egg the yacht; the vessel was then quietly towed to another shipyard to avoid a scene.

Jeff Bezos has been spotted taking his new megayacht out for the first time.

The billionaire Amazon founder was seen shirtless as he sunbathed on the $500 million yacht with his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez , along the coast of Spain on Monday, according to Page Six .

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The yacht, a 417-foot vessel called Koru, is believed to be the largest sailing yacht in the world. Its construction stirred controversy when it nearly required a historic bridge in Rotterdam in Netherlands be dismantled because the yacht's masts were too tall to pass under the bridge, despite its 131-foot clearance.

The 100-year-old Koningshaven Bridge, known to locals as "De Hef," had been renovated in 2017, and the city had vowed not to take it apart again after that, according to Dutch broadcaster Rijnmond .

Locals grew outraged, threatening to egg the yacht if the bridge was dismantled. Koru's Dutch shipmaker, Oceanco, withdrew its request , and the yacht was quietly towed away to another shipyard. Its masts were installed later to avoid a clearance issue.

Koru was seen doing its sea trials , which consist of several tests and are usually one of the last phases of construction, in February, and it made its maiden voyage in April when it left Oceanco's facilities to travel to Gibraltar along its way to Bezos.

Check out the photos of Bezos and Sanchez on the yacht on Page Six .

Watch: Jeff Bezos reportedly just spent $165 million on a Beverly Hills estate — here are all the ways the world's richest man makes and spends his money

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