Initially known as Project Y721 later to be officially named Koru with is a Maori word meaning “new beginnings”, the yacht commissioned by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos became infamous when word of a historic bridge in Rotterdam needing to be taken apart to let it pass through hit the news. As you might imagine, one of the world’s richest men is not going to have just a run of the mill yacht and the Koru is now the longest sailing yacht in the world. Let’s check out some of what makes the Koru a standout.

Who Built Jeff Bezos Yacht?

The Koru was built by Oceanco, the yacht makers responsible for a number of today’s superyachts. The company is owned by an Omani billionaire and has been making yachts since 1987.

The Interior of Jeff Bezos’ Yacht

Details on the inside of the yacht are very limited as Bezos was not keen on publicizing a lot about the vessel. That said, rumor has it that the yacht was modeled after another yacht known as the Black Pearl. The Pearl is considered by some to be the largest sailing yacht in the world. There is some debate about that since the Sea Cloud is bigger but also has engines so it can switch from wind to motor power.

The exterior of the the Koru is black and features a white superstructure. The three largest masts, the tallest in the world on a sailing vessel, are also the most noticeable exterior features.

The interior appears to cover three decks though no photos of the inside have been made public yet so we’re still in the dark. There is a pool on the main deck however, but little else is know. In fact, neither the interior nor exterior designers have even been identified yet.

We do know that there is no helipad on deck as is often a feature on yachts this large. Word is that Bezos didn’t want those kinds of amenities on the Koru at all. However, it does come with a support vessel called the Abeona which is about 246 feet in length. It’s believed the Abeona, a motor yacht, will feature all the toys and gadgets like a tender garage and other amenities for guests of the Koru to enjoy.

Koru Features and the Black Pearl Connection

Like the Koru, details of the Pearl’s interior are limited. The Pearl, and presumably Koru, were designed to be able to cross the ocean without the aid of a single drop of fuel. That means some revolutionary design choices in the three carbon masts that can furl and set the sails with the touch of a button. That means a crew of one can set over 31,000 square feet of sails in just moments.

The Black Pearl yacht, which is believed to have inspired the design of the Koru.

Under sail, the Pearl was able to reach 30 knots and it’s been speculated that the Koru can reach about 20 knots. Even more impressive was that this green powered vessel was able to convert that wind power into energy to run everything else on the boat, potentially eliminating the need to run generators to power things. 

Inside, the Pearl has 6 cabins and room for 12 guests. The Bezos yacht is larger so it’s likely there will be more room but they have not offered any details to confirm or deny this. It does have three decks so there is a lot of space inside.

Does Bezos Own the Flying Fox?

The Flying Fox is the largest charter yacht in the world but is not owned by Jeff Bezos

In late 2021 and early 2022, rumors spready that a 136-meter superyacht called the Flying Fox was purchased by Jeff Bezos. A lot of websites still have stories that say as much, but Bezos released a statement later saying that no, he did not buy the Flying Fox and, given that he’s now confirmed as the owner of the Koru, it stands to reason that the rumors were unfounded.

The Story of Jeff Bezos’ Yacht and the Rotterdam Bridge

During the process of making the yacht, it became clear that the masts, which stand at around 230 feet high each, would make it impossible for the boat to get through Rotterdam because of the De Hef bridge. Bezos offered to pay to have the bridge taken apart until the yacht passed through and then reassembled but this did not go over well with the people of Rotterdam. 

For a time it seemed like the city had agreed to his proposal, but they walked it back afterwards saying no formal permission had been given and the plan was not being authorized. Protests were organized before the town had to come out against the plan to alter the historic bridge, which had already been rebuilt once after the war. It has been speculated that the public anger is what made the city come out against the plan

Oceanco, fearful that people would literally pelt the yacht with eggs which they had threatened to do, moved it secretly and under the cover of night along a different route some time later, minus the masts which later followed on barges to be assembled elsewhere. The new route was twice as long but there were no protests and it still got where it was going, so it all worked out in the end.

By August of 2022 the yacht was seen for the first time with the masts installed in Greenport, Rotterdam. That means it’s on the way to being complete and going on ocean trials but so far that hasn’t happened yet.

What’s the Size of Jeff Bezos’ Yacht?

The finished length of the yacht was 127 meters long or 417 feet, which makes it a superyacht for sure but it’s not in the top ten for biggest yachts by a long stretch. For what it’s worth, the largest yachts are almost all motor yachts and Bezos’ yacht is a sailing yacht and those do tend to be shorter in length. 

In terms of just sailing yachts, Bezos has a world record now with the Koru being the largest ever built, overshadowing the Black Pearl and the Sea Cloud.

The masts on the vessel reach 70 meters or 230 feet making it the tallest sailing yacht in the world. It also comes with its own 250 foot support yacht, a secondary vessel that has a helipad, jet skis and possibly a mini sub.

What was the Price of Jeff Bezos’ Yacht?

When it comes to pricing, there’s a lot of speculation because the details are pretty limited when it comes to projects like this. That said, the general belief is that Bezos must have paid around $500 million for the yacht, making it one of the most expensive yachts in the world. When you have a net worth of about $137 billion, that’s not all that much to spend on a yacht, of course. 

When Bezos took possession of the yacht in April 2023, news sources listed the yacht as costing him $485 million, so those initial estimates were not far off.

Rumor has it that the yearly operational costs for the yacht will be around $25 million in total. While that is substantial, it’s actually far less than some of the largest motor yachts cost to run on account of their fuel bills. The largest motor yachts like the Eclipse have yearly costs north of $60 million. Sail boats, in general, are always cheaper.

The yacht was built by a company called Oceanco, 12 miles outside of Rotterdam, which is why that bridge fiasco was such a big deal at the time. 


Watch The Latest Video of Jeff Bezos’ Yacht First Sailing

The Bottom Line

In 2022, Oceanco built a yacht at first known as Y721 but then christened as Koru for billionaire Jeff Bezos. The vessel is 127 meters in length with triple masts that reach 70 meters, making the sailing yacht nearly half the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza. It came with a $485 million price tag with a $25 million annual upkeep cost.

The yacht uses extremely advanced and green technology and the sails can be managed by a single person rather than with an entire crew thanks to their high tech design. The details of the interior have been kept under wraps, but the vessel does come with a shadow yacht at about half the size that features a lot of the cool yacht amenities like a helipad, jet skis and more. 

For a time, Bezos was ready to pay to move a historic bridge in the city of Rotterdam in order to transport the yacht downriver but local protests forced Oceanco to transport the yacht, minus the masts, along a different route under the cover of night.