Historic bridge to be dismantled for Jeff Bezos’ massive yacht
Work has begun in the Netherlands to get Jeff Bezos’ yacht through. The ship’s three masts are too long for the 150-foot span of the historic bridge.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos wants to prove that he can actually move mountains – or at least bridges – by devoting enough funds. Some dutch local sources say the historic Koningshaven Bridge of rotterdam has been temporarily dismantled for Jeff Bezos.
Dutch private yacht manufacturer Oceanco reportedly applied to the Municipality of Rotterdam and demanded the bridges be dismantled because its 40-metre span was not long enough for the yacht’s three giant poles. Oceanco and Bezos have reportedly offered to finance the dismantling.
Koningshaven Bridge could be dismantled for Jeff Bezos’ new yacht
The reason for the dismantling of the Koningshaven Bridge has resonated widely on social media. Developed by Oceanco, the ship is an estimated length of 127 meters. According to Boat International, the massive boat will be the world’s largest sailing yacht when completed.
Meanwhile, Koningshaven, a national monument first built in 1927, is known locally as “De Hef,” according to Dutch News. De Hef was reportedly heavily damaged during the bombing of Rotterdam during World War II and has since undergone multiple renovations, most recently in 2017. The latest dismantling was supposed to coincide with the time the bridge was cancelled, but the Dutch Council could reportedly make an exception for the world’s richest person.
Although local sources claim the project could cause temporary problems because of the dismantling, it is fair to say that rotterdam’s government is excited by the idea of dismantling the almost century-old bridge at the billionaire’s behest. “Employment is important, but there are limits to what you can do for our heritage,” said Ton Wesselink, a member of the Rotterdam Historical Society, according to the NL Times.
But billionaire Bezos isn’t the only one making money for luxury yachts. A total of 887 superyachts were sold worldwide in 2021, according to a Bloomberg report by maritime data firm VesselsValue. This represents a 77% increase in sales compared to the previous year and more than double the number of yachts sold in 2019.
