The shipyard building Jeff Bezos’ massive 417-foot-tall superyacht has reportedly abandoned plans to ask the Dutch city of Rotterdam to dismantle a landmark bridge to make way for the Amazon founder’s sea toy.
Oceanco, the company commissioned to build Bezos’ $500 million ship, has abandoned Rotterdam’s plan to temporarily dismantle the Koningshavenbrug, known locally as “De Hef,” according to Dutch-language news site Trouw.
It’s unclear what Oceanco plans to do now that it has given up its option to continue dismantling the bridge.
The article citing local residents’ reaction to the conversion was translated by the website DutchNews.nl. The site obtained documents through the country’s freedom of information laws showing that Oceanco was so surprised by the public reaction to the original plan that it decided not to go ahead with it.
The company said it had to dismantle the bridge to allow the superyacht to sail into the North Sea.
The landmark bridge, known locally as ‘De Hef’, was rebuilt after Rotterdam was bombed in World War II. The bridge became a national monument.NurPhoto via Getty Images
Residents of Rotterdam were so enthusiastic about the plan that they organized Facebook groups to organize protests. Some even threatened to pelt Bezos’ superyacht, said to be among the largest vessels in the world, with rotten eggs.
The 150-year-old steel structure, which has a clearance of 130 feet and spans the Meuse River, was renovated in 2017 after being bombed during World War II. The bridge has acquired the status of a landmark and has been turned into a national monument.
Rotterdammers noted that city officials have promised not to dismantle the bridge since the last repairs five years ago.
Bezos hoped the bridge would be dismantled so the ship could sail into the North Sea. The Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
The city of Rotterdam reportedly objected to the release of information obtained by Trouw due to threats it allegedly received from opponents of the plan.
Bezos’ Y721 superyacht will be one of the largest sailing vessels ever built in the Netherlands, which is a boat-building hub for the very rich, according to Bloomberg.
The yacht’s height creates other problems for the world’s second-richest man. The boat’s tall masts would pose a danger to helicopters, so the former Amazon executive ordered a utility yacht with a helipad to follow in its wake, the publication said.
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