Hoist up the Jeff B sails.
Amazon honcho Jeff Bezos’ $500 million superyacht Koru, codenamed Y721, is finally seaworthy — spotted in the North Sea after leaving Rotterdam on Feb. 13, footage posted by the organization Dutch Yachting shows.
The massive, 417-foot vessel’s test run came months after it was originally set to be delivered to the 59-year-old billionaire.
It requires a 250-foot support vessel that houses a helicopter landing pad for the Blue Origin founder.
Bezos’ mega boat created controversy last year after a report that Dutch officials would have to dismantle the historic Koningshaven Bridge because the 130-foot steel structure wouldn’t allow the vessel and its 229-foot masts to pass through.
Following an uproar from residents, local leaders decided the plan was a bridge too far — and the boat was towed from its construction location to another shipyard in a nearby town without its masts, according to Jalopnik.
The uproar likely played a big part in how and when it would float away.
Citizens of Rotterdam reportedly swore in February that, should Bezos’ superyacht traverse the De Hef bridge, they would pelt it with eggs in protest.
And when it finally came time to move the vessel out of its Dutch shipbuilding yard, the decision was made to tow it away under cover of darkness, the Cut reported.
Jeff Bezos and gal pal Lauren Sanchez. laurenwsanchez/InstagramKoru costs about $25 million a year to run. The pleasure boat can accommodate 18 guests — and requires a crew of 40 sailors.
It is far from the world’s most expensive yacht. That dubious honor is reserved for the $4.8 billion History Supreme — a gold- and platinum-plated vessel featuring a Tyrannosaurus rex bone wall made of meteoric stone. It was bought in 2011 by an anonymous Malaysian businessman, according to the Richest.
Jeff Bezos’ new vessel is estimated to have cost a half-billion dollars. APYet the half-billion-dollar price tag is a relative drop in the ocean for the Amazon founder, whose net worth was valued at $181 billion by Forbes.
Koru will join a fleet of superyachts, helicopters and planes already owned by the entrepreneur and his millionaire girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez.
The aluminum and steel schooner reportedly boasts three decks, including one with a swimming pool.
The smaller, 250-foot support vessel that will sit alongside the mammoth one will include a helicopter landing pad for Bezos or his celebrity guests. This smaller yacht is also expected to be loaded with an array of toys including luxury cars, jet skis, speedboats, and perhaps even a personal submarine, the Daily Mail has reported.
