Dutch bridge won't be dismantled to make way for Jeff Bezos' superyacht

Rotterdam, Netherlands - A historic bridge in the Dutch city of Rotterdam will not have to be dismantled to allow the passage of a mega-yacht that billionaire Jeff Bezos is reportedly having built there.

The Koningshaven Bridge is a historic building in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
The Koningshaven Bridge is a historic building in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.  © Collage: Remko de Waal / ANP / AFP & ALAIN JOCARD / AFP

Shipbuilder Oceanco has told the authorities not to apply for partial dismantling of the Koningshaven Bridge, after a fierce negative reaction, a spokesperson for the Dutch port city told dpa on Tuesday.

The plan to knock down a section of the almost 100-year-old bridge to make way for the luxury yacht had outraged Rotterdam residents, and there were calls on social media to pelt Bezos' latest toy with rotten eggs.

On Tuesday, the daily newspaper Trouw reported that the shipbuilder feared vandalism and had therefore called off the action. The company, which specializes in building luxury vessels, did not initially respond to questions. It is unclear in what way and at what stage of completion the yacht will now pass down to the sea.

The sailing yacht was supposed to be completed this summer and towed to open water. But the 150-foot bridge with the popular name "De Hef" was in the way. The movable middle section was to have been dismantled to allow the passage, and then restored afterwards.

The three-master is currently under construction at a shipyard near Rotterdam and is estimated to cost around €430 million ($441.13 million).

The former railway bridge over the River Maas is a registered as a historic building. It is a lift bridge, which means the middle section can be lifted to let ships through.

Cover photo: Collage: Remko de Waal / ANP / AFP & ALAIN JOCARD / AFP

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