jeff bezos yacht usvi

Jeff Bezos’ $500 million Koru superyacht is so big that it took up two docking spaces and dwarfed every other yacht berthed at the Grande Marina in the US Virgin Islands

Jeff Bezos' multi-million dollar yacht, Koru, docks at Port Everglades

According to boat international, the koru is the world’s largest sailing yacht, and reportedly cost an estimated $500 million to build, by monica galarza • published november 28, 2023 • updated on november 29, 2023 at 12:37 pm.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' massive yacht has officially dropped anchor in Port Everglades.

Video captured by NBC6 shows the enormous 417-foot yacht docked in Port Everglades Tuesday weeks after the billionaire announced he was moving back to the Sunshine State, after spending nearly three decades in Seattle.

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According to Boat International , the Koru is the world’s largest sailing yacht, and reportedly cost an estimated $500 million to build.

Bezos stepped down as the CEO of Amazon almost three years ago and said in a social media post that operations for his rocket company, Blue Origin, are “increasingly shifting” to Cape Canaveral, which is about 200 miles north of Miami.

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Coincidentally, on Tuesday, an Amazon spokesperson confirmed to NBC6 that the company is searching for 50,000 square feet of leased office space in the Miami area as part of its organic growth over the past few years in the region.

Amazon currently has more than 400 corporate and tech employees assigned to our existing serviced office locations in the Miami area, but this office space would first base location in the city.

In October, Bloomberg News reported that Bezos had purchased a mansion in the area known as “Billionaire Bunker” for $79 million, after buying a neighboring estate for $68 million.

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And in an Instagram post, the 59-year-old announced plans to return to Miami — where he spent his high school years — to be closer to his parents and his partner, Lauren Sánchez.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jeff Bezos (@jeffbezos)

Seattle has been Bezos' home since 1994 when he started Amazon out of his garage.

The Instagram post includes a brief video tour led by Bezos of Amazon's first office, with his father behind the camera.

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Jeff Bezos’ New Yacht Is Finally Ready to Set Sail

Amazon’s founder has been spotted on Koru, a massive schooner with a design that evokes the golden age of sailing in the early 20th century.

By Kevin Koenig

Just in time for the high season of yachting in the Mediterranean, when multimillion-dollar megayachts descend on ports like Monte Carlo and St. Tropez, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has been photographed with his partner Lauren Sánchez on his new boat, Koru, off the coast of Spain.

Mr. Bezos’ vessel is a sailing yacht, a departure from the diesel-powered, floating palaces popular with other billionaires. But it is still massive. At 417 feet, Koru is the world’s largest sailing yacht, according to Boat International , and it cost an estimated $500 million to build, Bloomberg reported . (Parsifal III, the boat featured on Bravo’s reality series “Below Deck Sailing Yacht,” is 177 feet long — less than half the length of Koru — and cost $18 million , according to the website SuperYachtFan.)

A spokesperson for Mr. Bezos did not comment for this article; neither did Oceanco, Koru’s builder. Here is what to know about the boat.

For traditionalists, Koru is refreshing. At a time when yacht design skews outrageous — see the lizardlike, 262-foot Artefact or the otherworldly 463-foot Yas — Koru stands out as a schooner, a sailing vessel with two or more masts. Photos reveal a large sailboat with three masts, an on-deck pool and a voluptuous mermaid on the bow, that bears a resemblance to Ms. Sánchez. But otherwise, the sleek, classic lines suggest the patrician age of yachting in the early 20th century, said Robert B. MacKay, author of “The Golden Age of Newport Yachting: Between the Wars.”

“With the clipper bow and the dark hull and the masts,” Mr. MacKay said, referring to Koru’s concave, pointy forward section, “it reminds me of a boat built in 1930 for J.P. Morgan Jr., Corsair IV. It is almost like a reincarnation. It’s certainly at odds with the stuff the oligarchs are building — those look like bloated Clorox bottles.”

Compared with the world’s very largest motor yachts — built for sheer size and the accompanying bragging rights — Koru could almost be considered quaint. Azzam, one of the world’s largest motor yachts, is nearly 200 feet longer.

The Experience

Koru will be propelled primarily by the wind. “Sailboats are usually greener than most powerboats,” said Don Anderson, a former captain of M5 , the world’s largest single-masted sailboat, at 256 feet. “I’d like to think that Koru will be one of the most ecological yachts out there, with its sails and also with the technology that will be aboard.”

“When you’re on a sailboat, you’re more in touch with the wind and the waves than on a powerboat,” he continued. “You’re more susceptible to the elements, too. But you can leave California, and once you get past the Catalinas you can basically surf downwind all the way to Hawaii. All you need to do is run with the waves.”

Mr. Bezos has been a guest on similar boats, according to Bloomberg: In 2019, he was spotted on Eos , a 305-foot sailing yacht owned by Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg.

Bill Tripp, a Connecticut-based naval architect, said the appeal of this type of boat is clear: “When you are on a powerboat, you ask, ‘Are we there yet?’ and on a sailboat, you’re enjoying the ride and the ocean so much that you don’t ask that question.”

Koru will be trailed by Abeona, a 246-foot support vessel. Superyachts often have support vessels following along behind them. These “shadows,” as they are colloquially known, are for the “toys” — the ATVs, supercars, seaplanes, motorcycles, smaller boats, scuba gear, personal submarines and even helicopters that pleasure boaters might bring on a trip. According to its builder, this model of boat can carry these gadgets along with dozens of crew members. (Ms. Sanchez flies helicopters, and the couple was recently photographed taking a helicopter to board Abeona and then Koru.)

Abeona, a motor yacht, will have enough range to follow Koru from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean — a common course for yachts — on a single tank of gas.

The Kerfuffle

Koru set off a controversy last year — before it was even completed — in a face-off with the Dutch city of Rotterdam. The boat was built at Oceanco’s facility in Alblasserdam, the Netherlands, and needed to pass the historic Koningshaven Bridge, known as “De Hef,” in Rotterdam, to undergo testing in the North Sea.

When the city announced it would dismantle the bridge to allow the boat and its mainmast — an estimated 230 feet tall — to pass through unscathed, locals were angry. They planned a protest to throw eggs at the yacht as it cruised by. In the end, the bridge was not taken apart, and the yacht was towed to a different location to have its masts attached.

Koru is Maori for “coil” or “loop” and refers to the unfurling of a fern frond. The koru design is common in traditional Maori art, where it symbolizes new life, growth and peace. Mr. Bezos included a photo of a koru frond in an Instagram post on Jan. 1, 2022.

Brad Stone, who was the first to report on Koru, in his 2021 book “Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire,” said the name was “consistent with where we see him today.”

“He is no longer this single-minded tech guy,” Mr. Stone said. “He’s in media and Hollywood and has a new relationship.”

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Inside Jeff Bezos’s Spectacular 127-Metre Oceanco Sailing Superyacht ‘Koru’

• Howard Walker
• September 16, 2024

From its 76-metre support tender to its voluptuous wooden figurehead, the Amazon founder’s €450 million+ superyacht is full of surprises.

According to the latest  Forbes ‘s Real-Time Billionaires List, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is currently worth around $204 billion (€185 billion), making him the second-wealthiest person on the planet, just behind Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

So handing over an estimated €454 million for his 127-metre  Koru , the world’s largest sailing yacht, another €68 million for  Abeona , its 76-metre support vessel, and then paying the €27 million or so a year to cover running costs for both, should be well within his budget.

Bezos surprised the boating world when he opted for a classically styled, three-masted sailing yacht instead of some flashy mega motoryacht. What’s more, it has a buxom wooden sculpture on the forepeak, typical of 19th-century sailing vessels. And since taking delivery last year, he and his fiancé, Lauren Sánchez, have been using the yacht to cruise the world in style.

While secrecy still shrouds  Koru , especially its interior and many of its technical features, we take a closer look at eight things that make it, arguably, the most interesting sailing superyacht in years.

Designed as a Modern Classic

Koru  would never be described as sleek, or elegant even. But she does have a classical style. Designed by the Dutch masters at Dykstra Naval Architecture, the boat is distinguished by its towering navy-blue steel hull, snowy-white, two-level aluminum superstructure, sweeping canoe stern, and a trio of soaring masts. Her design inspiration is said to be the triple-masted schooner  Eos , built by Germany’s Lürssen Yachts in 2006 for American media mogul Barry Diller. And, ignoring the current trend of oversized windows,  Koru ‘s hull sides are dotted with traditional portholes with smaller-than typical windows for the upper decks (no doubt helping to protect guests from paparazzi lenses).

Little is known about the yacht’s interior design, other than it’s the work of London-based Mlinaric, Henry and Zervudachi studio. Oceanco’s website describes the interior as a “timeless, contemporary style, with natural wood tones complemented by a palette of warm neutrals and beautifully patterned textiles.”

Claiming the Prize for Size

At 410 feet bow to stern and with a beam of 56 feet,  Koru  is the largest sailing yacht in the world. Some might argue the title should go to the 143-metre  Sailing Yacht A . But that quirky, Philippe Stark–designed triple-master is considered a “sail-assisted motoryacht” rather than a true sailing yacht.  Koru  is also big inside, with a reported internal volume of 3,300 gross T=tons, that offers room for up to 18 guests in nine cabins and accommodations for a crew of 36.

A True Sailor

Full credit to Jeff Bezos for ignoring his fellow billionaires’ penchant for giant, diesel-guzzling superyachts. (Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg recently took delivery of his 118-metre  Launchpad , powered by quadruple MTU engines packing a combined 23,400 hp.) With its giant, more-than-20,000-square-foot sail plan (including three mainsails and three, cutter-style headsails),  Koru  has been regularly photographed cruising under sail. It’s also believed the yacht is making an effort to focus on sustainability, from reports of it testing out a prototype kinetic energy recovery system that converts wave-induced motion into electrical energy. The vessel is also believed to feature a hybrid power system with large battery banks that run its systems at night while at anchor.

Its 250-Foot, $75 Million “Tender”

The challenge with sailing yachts, even one that’s 125 metres long, is that it’s nearly impossible to land a helicopter on the deck. So Bezos commissioned a 76-metre support vessel, named  Abeona  after the Roman goddess of travelers. The largest shadow vessel ever built by Holland’s Damen Yachting, this explorer comes with a rear-deck helipad and hangar big enough to accommodate an Airbus ACH-135 helicopter. There’s also space aboard for a small armada of water toys and tenders, plus accommodations below decks for up to 45 crew and support staff.

Built Under Total Secrecy

Tasked with taking  Koru  from concept to reality was the superyacht builder Oceanco, based south of Rotterdam in Alblasserdam, Holland. The famed yard, owned by billionaire Mohammed Al Barwani, who also owns Turquoise Yachts in Turkey, recently completed Steven Spielberg’s new superyacht  Seven Sea s, and the similar-sized  Bravo Eugenia , launched in 2018 for Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.  Koru  was reportedly first commissioned in 2018 as Project Y721 and delivered to the Amazon founder in Gibraltar in April 2023.

What’s in a Name?

While a betting person might have predicted that Bezos would have given his sailing yacht a more Amazon-connected name, like Prime, Deliverance, or even Blue Origin after his space company, he picked  Koru . The name is said to be Maori for “loop” or “coil” and resembles the spiral shape of an unfurling silver fern frond. It’s said to be an integral symbol of New Zealand Maori art that symbolizes new life and new beginnings. Look closely at the wooden figurehead on  Koru ‘s bow and the necklace around the woman’s neck features a pendant shaped like the koru symbol.

A Bridge Too Far

As  Koru  was nearing completion in 2021, word got out that builder Oceanco had approached the city of Rotterdam in Holland, offering to pay for the partial disassembly of the historic 97-year-old Koningshaven lift-bridge, which was too low for the yacht with its triple 70-metre masts in place, to pass under on its way to the North Sea. The city reportedly consented, but the move resulted in a huge public outcry with threats to plaster  Koru  with eggs as it passed through the bridge. Oceanco withdrew its application and instead towed the yacht to Rotterdam’s Greenport shipyard west of the city, transported the masts by barge, and installed them there.

The Places You’ll Go

Hot on the heels of  Koru ‘s handover in Gibraltar in April last year, the superyacht has seemingly been cruising non-stop. It was spotted exploring Spain’s Balearic Islands, anchored off Cannes during the film festival, and moored at celebrity hot spots like Saint-Tropez, Capri, Portofino, and Porto Cervo, Sardinia. Bezos reportedly proposed to Sánchez on the bow of  Koru  off Cannes in May last year, followed by an engagement party aboard in Positano, Italy with a guest list that included Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kris Jenner, Toby Maguire, and Queen Rania of Jordan. Then  Koru  cruised the 4,000-plus miles across the Atlantic to Fort Lauderdale for a re-fuel and re-supply before heading to the Caribbean for winter cruising. This summer it was back to the Mediterranean for more island-hopping.

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The World’s 2nd Largest Sailing Yacht, Built by Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos, is Currently Here

You know you live in an amazing place when the world’s 2nd largest, newly-built sailing yacht chooses your backyard as its first vacation destination in the United States.

Koru is a 416-foot sailing yacht that was commissioned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. It reportedly cost $500 million to build and is accompanied by Abeona, its 246-foot support vessel. Both boats are currently anchored near Mingo Cay, which is roughly a five-minute boat ride from Cruz Bay. This is the same area where The Rising Sun, David Geffen’s 453-foot mega yacht, spent time last month. (Click here to read that story.)

Koru, a Maori word meaning “new beginnings”, is the largest boat ever built in the Netherlands. It was delivered in April and spent time in the Mediterranean before making the 4,400-mile crossing to the United States. It arrived in Ft. Lauderdale on November 22nd where it was forced to dock in a seaport beside oil tankers and a cruise ship due to its massive size. It arrived in St. Thomas on December 5th and spent five days in Charlotte Amalie before sailing over to us.

Koru is reportedly one of the most ecological megayachts in the world due to its sails and technology on board.

Abeona, its “dinghy”, will serve as a support boat, essentially a toy hauler. It will carry luxury cars, smaller boats, a helicopter, and additional crew.

Is this boat excessive? Yes. Did many of us shop way too often on Amazon, which in a way contributed to its creation? Yes. However it is a beautifully-designed sailboat, and it’s pretty darn cool that they chose to come here for their first vacation on this side of the world. Those of us who call St. John home are pretty darn lucky, and those of you who are able to visit this beautiful island are pretty darn lucky too.

Have a beautiful day everyone, and a big thanks to Palm Tree Charters for these great pics.

Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with us!

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour   Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

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Something cool is happening at cinnamon bay, here’s what joe’s rum hut looks like now, look who’s been hanging around my yard – a tortoise.

Thank you for all the informative information you provide. We just got back home from 12 beautiful days on island. (First 3 rained ALL day) I have read your e mails for 1/ 1/2 years and learned so much. We have been to STJ 8 times and always learn something new! Merry Christmas to you and your family.

We’re in St Thomas this week (Jan 27-Feb 3, 2024) The yacht is docked in Charlotte Amalie. We have a view of the beautiful boat, and his support ship (with all the toys) from our balcony

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Jeff Bezos Has Reportedly Received the 417-Foot ‘Koru,’ the Tallest Sailing Yacht in the World

The $485 million vessel left for its maiden voyage last thursday., rachel cormack.

Digital Editor

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Amazon founder Jeff Bezos just received a toy way too big for a brown cardboard box.

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The yacht has also been at the center of massive, worldwide controversy. Back in February 2022, Oceanco requested that a centuries-old bridge in the port city of Rotterdam be partially dismantled in order to get the behemoth out and onto the high seas. The masts, which are the same height as the Great Pyramid of Giza, simply exceeded the bridge’s 131-foot clearance and thus prevented Koru from passing under. Rotterdammers were none too pleased and threatened to pelt the yacht with rotten eggs . The request was subsequently denied, and the yacht was instead discreetly towed through Rotterdam without its mast.

The designers behind the yacht’s interior and exterior are yet to be named, but it’s clear that she’s a timeless and elegant cruiser. Koru , which is a Māori for “new beginnings,” features a sleek black hull and white superstructure. She also sports a large pool on the aft deck and a number of plush alfresco lounges.

The epic design isn’t able to accommodate a helicopter, however, as the soaring masts make it too unsafe to land. As a result, Bezos commissioned a second yacht to hold his toys and tenders. Christened Wingman, the custom 246-footer is Damen’s largest support vessel to date. It’s a good match for monumental Koru , then.

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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Jeff Bezos' yacht reportedly cost $500 million and is the largest sailing yacht in the world. Here's what we know.

• Jeff Bezos ' new $500 million megayacht Koru set sail this summer.
• At 417 feet long, it's the world's largest sailing yacht and even boasts a sculpture resembling his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez.
• Here's everything we know about Bezos' yacht.

Jeff Bezos' new megayacht set sail this summer, with the founder and former Amazon CEO and his fiancée Lauren Sanchez crisscrossing Europe to show it off.

At 417 feet long, the vessel is the world's largest sailing yacht and cost an estimated $500 million. The yacht is named Koru , which means "loop" or "coil" in the Māori language and often signifies new beginnings.

Koru joins a large class of flashy billionaires' yachts , including the 305-foot-long Eos, which belongs to billionaire Barry Diller and fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.

Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison owns a yacht called Musashi, which is 288 feet long.

Bezos commissioned the enormous boat from the Dutch custom yacht builder Oceanco, and it took years to construct.

In February, the yacht underwent its first sea trials, a series of tests usually conducted in the last phases of construction. Koru made its maiden voyage in April, traveling from the Netherlands to Gibraltar.

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The vessel has a pool on deck, and the prow features a mermaid sculpture that bears a striking resemblance to Bezos' then-girlfriend Sanchez. A second "support yacht," which has an on-deck helipad, accompanies Koru on its travels.

Sanchez has said the sculpture affixed to Bezos' yacht isn't her. "I'm very flattered, but it's not," she told Vogue. The sculpture is apparently of the Norse goddess Freyja, one of Bezos' favorite figures from mythology.

Bezos and Sanchez were first seen aboard the yacht along the coast of Spain in May, shortly before news broke that the couple had gotten engaged. The couple spent the rest of the summer on board traveling to various destinations, stopping at the Cannes Film Festival, sailing down the Italian Riviera, and making their way to Croatia.

In August, the yacht played host to an engagement party for Bezos and Sanchez , which reportedly drew guests including Bill Gates, Whitney Wolfe Herd, Ari Emanuel, and Leonardo DiCaprio.

While yacht season was apparently enjoyable for the couple, it was only after the vessel stirred up quite a bit of controversy: Koru's masts were so tall that the yacht nearly required the dismantling of a historic bridge in the Netherlands in order for it to pass through.

Locals planned to egg Bezos' superyacht if the bridge came down. Following the public outcry, Oceanco withdrew its request for the city to take apart the bridge.

And despite this massive purchase, Bezos' net worth is still well over $100 billion.

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