No need to dismantle a bridge: Bezos' mega yacht has been towed from a Dutch shipyard

• The historic Koningshaven bridge in Rotterdam was going to be partially dismantled so that Jeff Bezos' mega yacht could pass.
• It's been reported recently that the yacht was towed a little out of its way to another shipyard without its mast, so there'll be no need to dismantle any historical work.
• Once the superyacht is finally ready for sea, it will earn the title of the largest sailing vessel in the world.

In February, we brought you the news that the historic steel Koningshaven bridge in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam was going to be dismantled partially so that a superyacht that's built for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos could pass.

Then in July, we reported that the shipbuilder had decided it will not apply for the required permit to dismantle the bridge.

Finding a new solution for the ship's route

Now, news outlets are stating that the new boat was able to slip from its birth at the Dutch shipyard on Tuesday morning without needing to dismantle any historical work. Instead, the yacht was towed a little out of its way to another shipyard without its mast, reported Jalopnik on Friday.

If the bridge had been dismantled and rebuilt, it would have been all at the cost of Bezos. Still, that did not stop people from objecting.

The famous bridge, also known as "De Hef," is a national heritage site that was heavily damaged by the Luftwaffe bombing during WWII. It was then renovated in 2017, and Rotterdam’s city council promised residents the bridge would forever be preserved in its pristine condition.

This is why when Oceanco, Bezo’s yacht shipbuilder, applied for the permit to dismantle De Hef, the Dutch responded with much anger. They even started a Facebook group that promised to lob eggs at the megayacht as it passed through their city. Over 3,000 people signed up. Luckily the permit to dismantle De Hef was denied, and no violence ensued.

A new solution applied

That does not mean that some residents didn’t appreciate the new solution found by Oceanco to move the ship.

Dutch yacht enthusiast Hanco Bol posted a video of the 417-foot long, three-masted yacht, named Y721, being relocated from the Oceanco shipyard in Alblasserdam to the Greenport yard just 24 miles away in Rotterdam.

“We never saw a transport going that fast,” Bol wrote of the event. The whole trip took less than three hours. Normally such an endeavor would require nearly twice as much time. The half-a-billion dollar ship was pulled by several tugs.

Now that it is at Greenport, the next steps are for the masts to be installed and for the ship to be tested at sea. Once it is finished testing, engineers will have to figure out how to return the boat to the shipyard for improvements and repairs. But we are guessing they will cross that bridge once they get there. (Pun intended! )

Once the superyacht is finally ready for sea, it will earn the title of the largest sailing vessel in the world.