Netherlands: Historic Rotterdam bridge to be dismantled for Jeff Bezos’ $500 mn superyacht

A historic steel bridge in Rotterdam, Netherlands will be dismantled to allow a luxury superyacht built for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to pass through, local broadcaster Rijnmond reported. The ‘Koningshavenbrug De Hef’ which was built in 1927 is a lifting bridge and it was renovated in 2017. The Dutch council had pledged it would never be dismantled due to its historic significance.

However, Rijnmond reports that the bridge will be dismantled to let the 417ft (127m) long and very tall luxury yacht sail through the sea. The vessel built by Dutch firm Oceanco was linked to the Amazon founder, and now the Dutch authorities have agreed to destroy the middle section of the bridge to enable Bezos' vessel to transit. 

The announcement has caused an uproar as the national monument ‘Koningshavenbrug De Hef’ deemed as iconic is the first-of-its-kind for Europe railway lift bridge that was established in1927. It was even renovated after the bombardment of the Dutch city by German forces in WWII on May 14, 1940.

At Rotterdam, in the municipality Alblasserdam, the constructors of the three-masted beast of a vessel for Amazon founder Bezos have convinced the Dutch authorities to dismantle the bridge as a $500 million vessel will be the world’s largest sailing yacht. It will take off from Oceanco’s Alblasserdam shipyard to the North Sea, reported the Dutch media outlet DutchNews.nl.

[Credit: Unsplash]

The bridge is highly beloved by the Dutch people as it carried the train traffic up until 1993 when tunnels opened in the Nieuwe Maas. Dismantling the monument for Bezos' megayacht, known as Y721 has caused angst among the Dutch population. 

Angry Dutch protesters plan to throw eggs at Jeff Bezos' yacht

Speaking to Dutch broadcaster  Rijnmond, project leader Marcel Walravens relayed that the efforts to construct the yacht have been executed as planned without snags, but the middle section of De Hef will have to be removed for a day. “It is about a ship with high masts which cannot pass through the bridge,” he said. “The only alternative is to take out the middle section.” Dutch Archpaper reports that as many as 2,600 angry protesters have already launched a movement on Facebook to throw rotten eggs at the yacht as it passes through De Hef. "Rotterdam was rebuilt from the rubble by the people of Rotterdam, and we won't just take that apart for the phallic symbol of a megalomaniac billionaire. Not without a fight!" the initiators said. 

"This man [Jeff Bezos] has earned his money by structurally exploiting staff, evading taxes, avoiding regulations, and now we have to take down our beautiful national monument? That is really going a bridge too far," they further stated.

Labour party (PvdA) in the Rotterdam city council has "mixed feelings about the idea that some American billionaire can enjoy certain privileges," councilor Denis Tak told broadcaster NL Times. "It is, of course, a strong example of Dutch pride that these yachts are built here. The shipbuilding sector has had a hard time in recent years. Almost no ships are built in the Netherlands anymore. All container ships now come from Asia. This project offers a lot of local employment and also at a high level. Plus, I think it's good that we can make some money from Bezos and put it in the region.” Robert Simons of populist opposition party Leefbaar Rotterdam said that he was surprised when he learned about Bezos' yacht and dismantling the historic bridge. 

“How can the municipality make such a strange decision? De Hef is a monument and has just been renovated, so you have to keep your hands away from that. He thinks other solutions should have been considered,” Robert Simons was quoted as saying by NL Times.

“There are enough people in the region who earn a living in the maritime sector. We have to keep an eye on that. But it remains a very strange solution. They can also finish the yacht elsewhere."