Historic Rotterdam bridge won't be dismantled for Jeff Bezos superyacht worth €430M

[muriel_volestrangler]

A bridge in Rotterdam that has monument status will not be dismantled so that a new superyacht belonging to Jeff Bezos can reach the sea. The 127-meter-long vessel will be the second-largest sailing yacht in the world. It is being produced by Oceanco in Alblasserdam for the Amazon founder, but the three-masted ship cannot fit under the Koningshaven Bridge, known locally as "De Hef."

Oceanco informed the municipality that it is cancelling its current logistical plans to transport the 430 million euro yacht, at least for the time being, Trouw reported based on documents it obtained under a freedom of information request. The company said it was blindsided by the social unrest the plans caused, and shipyard workers felt threatened as a result.

Additionally, the Alblasserdam yacht builder said it feared the prospect of vandalism. Some Rotterdam residents are passionate about De Hef's place in history. The retired railroad bridge was one of the first structures to be restored after the German's destroyed much of the city center on 14 May 1940 during the Rotterdam Blitz.

Earlier this year, local resident Pablo Strörmann launched a Facebook event inviting people to throw eggs at the yacht once the shipyard launches it. He told NL Times, "It started more as a joke among friends after we heard the news about the possible dismantling of the bridge." Thousands of people quickly expressed their interest in the event, which has since been taken offline. Strörmann acknowledged his satirical joke got "out of hand," but he remained irritated that a bridge viewed fondly by some Rotterdammers might be damaged.

https://nltimes.nl/2022/06/30/historic-rotterdam-bridge-wont-dismantled-jeff-bezos-superyacht-worth-eu430m

DU thread from February: https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142863640

He could sail it up and down the river. Though I'm not sure it's wide enough to turn round. Maybe just reverse it, each time?

[crickets]

1. Good. Screw Bezos for wanting a ship too big

to leave harbor, and screw Oceanco for designing and building it. Screw them all.

Good for you, Rotterdam. No city should have to put up with such selfish, destructive nonsense.

[brush]

2. What geniuses Bezos and the ship builders are.

No one thought to measure the height of the bridge or the finished yacht?

Unbelievable.

[panader0]

7. Oh yeah! Stupid, stupid, stupid. Fuck Bezos. They'll have to figure a way to transport it by land.

Speaking of stupid, how stupid was the Highland Park shooter to be caught 8 hours after the shooting
only 5 miles away in the same car?

[onethatcares]

9. Bezos probably thought he was too rich

to be stopped doing what he wanted to do.

I know the Germans make some fine sawzalls and the Netherlands isn't that far away so there is a way to get it under the bridge.

[brush]

10. Heehee. Maybe they won't have to saw the masts off...

but it sure looks like a disassembly of the masts and river barging under the bridge is in that yacht's future.

[Dustlawyer]

14. My dad engineered semi-submersible offshore oil rigs. They had to finish the rigs at another

coastal shipyard because the had to clear the RR bridge just down river from his shipyard. They did it leaving 3 ft. to spare each time. I cannot believe they were that stupid!

[NickB79]

3. Can the masts be removed and reattached?

That's the only way.

[Tetrachloride]

6. Whatever happens, make Bezos pay millions more.

or billions.

[rsdsharp]

4. This reminds me of a book Captain Kangaroo used to read:

https://www.amazon.com/Mike-Mulligan-His-Steam-Shovel/dp/0395259398/ref=asc_df_0395259398/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312674805003&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6389864797939259348&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017938&hvtargid=pla-489921602375&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=65038952147&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312674805003&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6389864797939259348&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017938&hvtargid=pla-489921602375.

I have a copy! ☺️

[highplainsdem]

5. Good! Let Bezos sail his ego-sized yacht up and down the river. The Netherlands is scenic enough

for him, and he has no right to mess with the Dutch and their historic bridges.

[maxsolomon]

8. Tempest in a teapot.

The bridge goes to a park on an island in the river - it's just a historic remnant. There's a 2nd channel to the north, but the bridge over that doesn't open.

The boat builder fucked up by designing a yacht too tall. That said, pulling it out and putting it back wouldn't be the end of the world.

[brush]

12. Disassembling the masts and barging them under the bridge...

isn't the end of the world either. I vote for the barges. Fuck Bezos and the builders for such stupidity.

What's the old carpentry adage: Measure twice, cut once.

[onethatcares]

13. "pulling it out and putting it back wouldn't be"

the end of the world"

for the boat or the bridge?

One would think a trailer for a 143 meter boat is hard to find. It's only 469 ft long and if you ever want a good laugh go to a public boat ramp on a weekend and watch people try to maneuver 16 ft boats and trailers.

[sop]

11. Bezos just criticized Biden for pressing oil companies to immediately lower gas prices at the pump.

How did that work out for you, Jeff? Let's see, the price of gas is falling and your big boat is landlocked. I'm thinking maybe Joe made a call.

[AllaN01Bear]

15. hehe. pox your stoooopid boat and ur stooopid rocket.

bah humbug.
time to let off the longest. smelliest . loudest farts ever.

[PortTack]

16. Great!!