As shared by Dutch broadcaster Rijnmond on Tuesday, Jeff Bezos’ 417-foot vessel is being made in Alblasserdam, Netherlands. Due to its huge size, this new yacht can reach the sea only if a Dutch city eliminates part of a historic bridge.
The huge vessel, once ready, will have to pass via Rotterdam (which is considered as the maritime capital of Europe) if it has to reach the ocean.
While the Koningshaven Bridge in Rotterdam is about 131-feet tall, it is still short ahead of the mega yacht which has three masts.
The bridge, also known as De Hef, is about 100 years old. Initially built as a railroad crossing, the bridge is now like a monument in the city. As reported by Rijnmod, this bridge was renovated and put back together in 2017. Thereafter, the city pledged that it won’t be taken apart ever again!
Surprisingly, the city is now planning to remove the center portion of the bridge to help Jeff Bezos’ vessel to pass through smoothly.
Speaking to a leading international news website, a spokesperson for the municipality of Rotterdam – Frances van Heijst said that the city is able to give permit to the maritime sector for taking the ship to the sea. In conversation with a leading US news outlet, Van Heijst said that thecity won’t be paying for the cost of dismantling and reassembling the bridge. Instead, the shipbuilder – Oceanco will bear the expense.
Bezos’ mega yacht first came into the limelight after it was reported in Brad Stone’s book, “Amazon Unbound” in May 2021. According to Stone, the custom yacht – Y721 is expected to cost Rs. 3741.65 crores ($500 million). He predicts it to be one of the finest sailing yachts in existence.
Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos has reportedly commissioned a second, smaller “support yacht” which will have its own helipad.
New photos and videos of this yacht surfaced in October. The huge vessel, although unfinished, was then rolling out of a shipyard in Zwijndrecht, Netherlands.
The pictures shared by a London-based luxury lifestyle firm and a British daily news outlet showed a ship with a black hull and multiple decks.
Reportedly, the project will be completed in 2022. Thereafter, this will be “the largest sailing yacht in the world”.
