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Jeff Bezos giant yacht and Rotterdam's historic bridge

 

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ vast fortune is partly based on quick delivery. But he faces shipping issues himself—his superyacht, under construction in the Netherlands, is apparently too tall to pass under a historic bridge in the port city of Rotterdam because of its trio of masts.

According to Dutch broadcaster Rijnmond,  Oceanco, the local ship builder, has convinced city authorities to dismantle a part of the bridge, which dates back to the 19th century.

Oceanco is currently building Bezos’ 127-meter-long sailboat, which will take the title of the world’s largest sailing boat from Sea Cloud, which was commissioned in 1931.

Bloomberg estimated the project is costing about $485 million.

Bezos and Oceanco will cover the costs of the necessary bridge work.

Demand for superyachts—as for many other luxury goods—has surged during the pandemic. As of December, 1,024 such yachts were on order, according to Boat International, a 25% increase from a year earlier. It isn’t clear when Bezos ordered his yacht, but it can take three to five years for a custom-made boat.

Rotterdam’s Koningshaven bridge dates back in one form or another to the late 19th century. It was rebuilt after being bombed in World War II. From 2014 to 2017, De Hef, as locals call it, underwent a restoration. Though trains are not crossing over it now, it remains an important part of the city’s industrial history.

While some Rotterdam residents see this as a symbol of the privileges of billionaires, for Rotterdam authorities it is a logical step to support the maritime sector, which is vital to the Dutch economy. The Netherlands is home to Europe’s busiest port, and the Dutch shipping industry employs tens of thousands of people.

Marcel Walravens, a city official involved in the restoration project, defended the dismantling, saying he doesn’t think it is  practical to remove the masts and then finish the boat again elsewhere.

 “From an economic perspective and maintaining employment, the municipality considers this a very important project,” Walravens said.

From Quartz (edited)