EA historic bridge in Rotterdam is not being dismantled for the passage of a mega yacht, which according to media reports Amazon founder and US billionaire Jeff Bezos is having built there. Shipbuilder Oceanco has informed the authorities that it will not apply for partial dismantling of the Koningshavenbrug after violent reactions and threats, said a spokesman for the Dutch port city on Tuesday and confirmed corresponding media reports.
The plan had outraged the people of Rotterdam: the almost 100-year-old bridge was to make way for the luxury yacht. There were calls on social media to greet the ship with rotten eggs. Now the daily newspaper “Trouw” reported that the shipbuilder feared vandalism and had therefore called off the campaign. The company, which specializes in the construction of luxury ships, did not initially respond to inquiries. It is unclear how – and how far completed – the ship should now reach the open sea.
The sailing yacht should be completed this summer and towed out to sea. But the 46 meter high bridge with the popular name “De Hef” got in the way. Therefore, the moving center piece should be dismantled and restored after the passage. The three-master is currently being built at a shipyard near Rotterdam and is estimated to cost around 430 million euros.
The former railway bridge over the Meuse is a listed building. It is a so-called lifting bridge, since the middle section can be lifted upwards to let ships through. Since 1993, no trains have crossed the characteristic bridge.
