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The Dutch vow to egg Jeff Bezos' yacht if a bridge is dismantled to let his boat pass

Rachel Treisman

Rotterdam residents appear to be up in arms over a plan to temporarily dismantle the Koningshaven lift bridge, popularly called "De Hef." Remko de Waal/ANP/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Rotterdam residents appear to be up in arms over a plan to temporarily dismantle the Koningshaven lift bridge, popularly called "De Hef."

It's not exactly smooth sailing these days in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam, where locals are voicing their objection to a plan that would temporarily dismantle a historic bridge to enable the passage of a record-breaking yacht reportedly owned by former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

In fact, some are already making plans — albeit in jest — for what they will do if the project comes to fruition: throw eggs at the yacht as it traverses the water under the Koningshaven Bridge, known locally as "De Hef."

Some 13,000 people are "interested" and nearly 4,000 have said they will attend a Facebook event titled "Throwing eggs at superyacht Jeff Bezos," which has been shared more than 1,000 times in the week since its creation.

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"Calling all Rotterdammers, take a box of rotten eggs with you and let's throw them en masse at Jeff's superyacht when it sails through the Hef in Rotterdam," wrote organizer Pablo Strörmann.

He told the NL Times that the protest started as a joke among friends and has quickly gotten "way out of hand." (The English-language news site also notes that this isn't Strörmann's first campaign to go viral.)

The news of De Hef's potential disassembly, however brief, has clearly struck a chord with both locals and international observers.

It all started last week when Dutch broadcaster Rijnmond reported that the city appeared willing to grant a request to dismantle the decades-old steel bridge so that Bezos' yacht could pass through.

De Hef was built in 1927 as a railway bridge, with a midsection that can be lifted to allow ship traffic to pass underneath, according to The Washington Post . It was replaced by a tunnel and decommissioned in 1994, but was saved from demolition by public protests and later declared a national monument.

The ship's three masts are apparently too high for the bridge's roughly 130-foot clearance.

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The sailing yacht in question was reportedly commissioned by the billionaire Amazon founder and is currently being built at the Oceanco shipyard in the Netherlands, according to Boat International . It will consist of three masts with aluminum and steel construction and will measure more than 415 feet in length.

"Once delivered, not only will she become the world's largest sailing yacht but she will also hold the title for the largest superyacht ever built in the Netherlands," it added.

The waterway where the bridge sits is the only way the ship can get from the shipyard in Alblasserdam to the open seas, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . So Oceanco asked Rotterdam officials to temporarily remove the middle section of the bridge.

City spokesperson Netty Kros told the CBC that "the applicant" would cover the costs of the project but did not clarify whether that refers to the yacht's owner, the shipbuilder or both. Bloomberg reports that Oceanco will foot the bill. NPR has reached out to Amazon and Oceanco to confirm these details.

The city appeared to agree to the arrangement last week, with municipal project leader Marcel Walravens telling Rijnmond that the project would proceed for logistical and economic reasons. He said an exact plan was being developed but estimated it would take about a week to prepare and another week to "put everything back in place."

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"At the Koningenne Bridge, we can press a button, and it opens. That's not possible here because De Hef has a maximum height," Walravens said, according to a translation from the NL Times . "The only alternative is to take out the middle part."

That prompted an immediate backlash from locals, lawmakers and social media users, with the Rotterdam Historical Society pointing out that city officials had promised never to dismantle the bridge again after completing a major restoration in 2017.

Officials then walked back the reports, with Rotterdam's mayor telling a Dutch newspaper on Thursday that "no decision has yet been taken, not even an application for a permit," according to The Guardian .

He said the municipality would consider an application and assess the potential impacts, like whether the dismantling can be done without damaging the bridge and who would cover the costs.

Postcard from Rotterdam

Proponents of the plan say the project will bring more economic opportunities to the region, while critics say there's a double standard at play.

"Normally it's the other way around: If your ship doesn't fit under a bridge, you make it smaller," Strörmann told the NL Times. "But when you happen to be the richest person on Earth, you just ask a municipality to dismantle a monument. That's ridiculous."

With a net worth of more than $188 billion, Bezos is the third-richest person in the world behind Tesla founder Elon Musk and French businessman Bernard Arnault, according to Forbes' real-time list .

Hypothetically, if the project does come to pass, and locals do show up with eggs, just how hard of a moving target would the yacht be? The website Curbed set out to find out.

After examining several studies and making a few calculations, reporter Clio Chang says an egg would have to travel about 238 feet to hit the hull — "a difficult, but not impossible, feat."

This story originally appeared on the Morning Edition live blog .

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Jeff bezos gets a historic dutch bridge dismantled so his $500 million yacht can pass.

The rich are different from you and me, as the writer Scott Fitzgerald once said. More proof (if any is needed) is a deal struck between Amazon founder and executive chairman Jeff Bezos and officials in the Dutch city of Rotterdam to dismantle a historical landmark, so he can move his brand-new superyacht from the shipyard to the open sea.

In negotiations revealed this week, Rotterdam officials agreed to take apart (and later reassemble) the steel Koningshaven bridge that spans Europe’s busiest cargo port, and which has stood in place since 1927. That is in order for Bezos’s new 412-foot vessel—one of the biggest private yachts on the planet —to leave its construction site and set sail. The bridge is one of Rotterdam's best-known local landmarks, called a “must-see” by one tourist on Tripadvisor.

It is a “must-remove” for Bezos, however. His vessel—estimated to cost about $500 million to build— includes three 229-foot masts , too tall to sail under the bridge, which has the height of a 13-story building and a clearance of 131 feet.

That meant the bridge, which locals affectionately call “De Hef,” or “the lever,” has to be temporarily taken apart sometime this summer and then reconstructed once Bezos’s yacht leaves town.

“On the one hand, economic importance, employment, due to the construction of this ship. On the other hand, our concern for De Hef,” Rotterdam spokeswoman Frances van Heijst told the Washington Post (which is owned by Bezos), to explain the thinking behind the decision. “We attach great importance to preserving employment,” she said, adding that the city would not cover the costs of removing and reassembling the bridge.

That was hardly reassuring to some politicians.

"This man has earned his money by structurally cutting staff, evading taxes, avoiding regulations, and now we have to tear down our beautiful national monument?” Stephan Leewis, a member of the Rotterdam council from the environmental party GroenLinks , told the local broadcaster Rijnmond, which broke the news on Wednesday. “That is really a bridge too far,” he said.

The deal also sparked anger among preservationists. “Jobs are important,” Ton Wesselink of Rotterdam’s historical society Historisch Genootschap Roterodamum told Rijnmond . “But there are limits with what you can and should do with our industrial heritage.”

Yet there are few limits, it seems, to what can be negotiated by a tech titan like Bezos, whose wealth grew by $5 billion last year to $195 billion, making him the world’s second richest individual after Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Last September, Bezos committed $1 billion to climate projects—including those focused on restoring the oceans.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

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Will Rotterdam Make Way for Jeff Bezos, Lord of the Seas?

Jeff Bezos has it all. Billions of dollars, spaceships at his disposal, and soon, a $500 million super-schooner. The megayacht has been in the making for years , and is being built in the Netherlands. Upon completion, Y721 will be the largest sailing yacht in the world, with three masts, a black hull, and an accompanying “shadow vessel” with a helipad and room for Bezos’s other water toys. Yet misfortune has still befallen him. The yacht is large. Too large, by at least one critical metric: It cannot fit under the historic Koningshaven bridge in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, which it will need to get past to reach the ocean.

So city officials reportedly came up with a plan: They would temporarily dismantle part of the bridge so the Bezos yacht may pass underneath it. Bezos and Oceanco, the company building his superyacht upriver, would foot the bill rather than the city itself, and the bridge would be rebuilt after its ordeal. But officials have now backtracked, saying the plan has not yet been approved.

This is perhaps because the local population was not thrilled to hear that the bridge — known as “De Hef,” and a beloved local landmark even though it is no longer a working bridge — would be taken apart. “I think that’s why there is so much turmoil about Jeff Bezos and his boat,” the Dutch author Siebe Thissen told the New York Times. “People say, ‘Why this guy?’ It’s a working-class town, and they all know that Jeff Bezos, of course, he exploits his workers, so people say, ‘Why should this guy be able to demolish the bridge for his boat?’” The Times reported that hundreds of locals had said on Facebook that they would attend an event called “Throwing eggs at superyacht Jeff Bezos,” which sounds like a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

“Rotterdammers are proud of their city and don’t tear down iconic buildings just because you are superrich,” Pablo Strörmann, the event organizer, told the Times . (Strörmann also told the newspaper that the event was “mostly” a joke. Too bad!)

It is now unclear whether the city of Rotterdam will indeed dismantle De Hef for Bezos’s benefit. Nor is it clear what will happen to the superyacht, which must presumably find another way to open sea, or be built closer to it — unless Bezos is willing to settle for the world’s largest riverboat. Perhaps Bezos has finally discovered one problem that money can’t solve. Massive wealth will get you a lot. It will soothe fractious city officials and quash union campaigns, but maybe it can’t overcome the sentiment of a city that gives a damn about an old bridge.

Bezos is currently the second-richest man alive, behind Elon Musk. He has quite nearly conquered all he surveys. He can use his money to slip the surly bonds of Earth and touch the borders of space. But for now, De Hef stands in the way of his domain over the sea. Congratulations to the people of Rotterdam.

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Rotterdam May Dismantle Part of Bridge for Jeff Bezos’ Superyacht

The Dutch city of Rotterdam walked back earlier comments that the historic Koningshaven Bridge would be briefly dismantled. On Thursday, officials said a decision had not yet been made.

By Jenny Gross

The Dutch city of Rotterdam on Thursday walked back plans to dismantle part of the historic Koningshaven Bridge so that a superyacht built for Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, could pass through the city’s river, saying that a decision had not yet been made.

This week, city officials had told the news media that Rotterdam had agreed to briefly dismantle the middle section of the 95-year-old bridge for the yacht’s passage this summer.

But on Thursday evening, officials said in another statement that the city had not yet approved the plan, though it had received a request from the shipbuilder to temporarily lift the middle part of bridge.

The city’s statement said the full cost of the dismantling, if approved, would be covered by the shipbuilder. The bridge, known locally as “De Hef,” would be restored immediately afterward.

A city spokeswoman had said that she did not have an estimate of how much the deconstruction would cost. The city statement said that officials would assess the environmental and economic effects of the plans.

A representative for Amazon did not respond to requests for comment about the cost or the yacht’s destination. A spokeswoman for Oceanco, the Dutch custom yacht company that is building the boat, said in an email that she could not comment on projects under construction or clients because of confidentiality reasons.

The city of Rotterdam’s decision to remove part of the bridge was reported on Wednesday by a regional Dutch public broadcaster, Rijnmond . Boat International, which publishes articles about the superyacht industry, reported that the 417-foot sailboat is set to become the largest sailing yacht in the world when it is finished later this year, surpassing the Sea Cloud , a 360-foot sailboat built in 1931 and owned by the Yacht Portfolio, an investment company based in Malta.

The superyacht Mr. Bezos commissioned is likely to cost more than $500 million to build, Bloomberg reported . Mr. Bezos is the world’s second-richest person , after Tesla’s chief executive, Elon Musk.

The bridge, which has a boat clearance of 130 feet, is not currently in use. A Rotterdam tour guide, Eddy le Couvreur, said that the bridge, designed by the Dutch architect Pieter Joosting and a fixture in the Rotterdam skyline, was once used for railway traffic. A vertical lift bridge, it was the first of its kind in the Netherlands, and was copied from similar bridges in the United States. The modern industrial aesthetics of the bridge inspired a short film in 1928, he said.

Until now, tall ships passed under the bridge before assembling their masts and taller structures, he said.

Dennis Tak, a Labor Party city councilor for Rotterdam, said he was fine with the bridge being dismantled — since the city would not be paying for it — because of the jobs the process would create. “As a city, this is a great way to take some of his money,” Mr. Tak said.

The structure is more than a bridge to the people of Rotterdam, said Siebe Thissen, the author of the book “The Boy Who Jumped From the Bridge,” about a working-class man who jumped from the bridge in 1933. “It’s a monument,” he said. “It’s the identity of Rotterdam.”

When city officials tried to take the bridge down in the 1990s since it was no longer in use, there were major protests, he said, calling the bridge a reminder of “the old days” in Rotterdam.

“I think that’s why there is so much turmoil about Jeff Bezos and his boat,” he said, before referring to accusations against Amazon . “People say, ‘Why this guy?’ It’s a working-class town, and they all know that Jeff Bezos, of course, he exploits his workers, so people say, ‘Why should this guy be able to demolish the bridge for his boat?’”

As of Thursday, more than 600 Facebook users said they would attend an event, titled “Throwing eggs at superyacht Jeff Bezos,” where they plan to gather by the bridge to throw eggs at the boat. “Rotterdammers are proud of their city and don’t tear down iconic buildings just because you are super rich,” said Pablo Strörmann, the event organizer, who said he started the Facebook group “mostly” as a joke.

Mr. le Couvreur, who works for the company Tours by Locals, which connects tourists with local guides, said that Rotterdammers would likely enjoy the international attention that the spectacle had brought, he said. “On the other hand, it shows the unimaginable wealth that people like Bezos have created for themselves, that nothing can stand in the way for them living out their dreams and hobbies,” he said, adding that the outlook was “worlds apart from those who will be watching the ship pass through the city.”

Claire Moses contributed reporting.

Jenny Gross is a general assignment reporter. Before joining The Times, she covered British politics for the The Wall Street Journal. More about Jenny Gross

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Elon Musk vacationed on a superyacht off the coast of Greece. Here's a closer look at the luxurious boat, which rents for over $7,000 per day.

• Elon Musk was spotted relaxing aboard a superyacht in Mykonos, Greece. 
• The 24-meter luxury vessel, named Zeus, can be chartered for over $7,000 a day. 
• Musk is famously anti-vacation, but he seemed to make an exception for a day lounging on the yacht.

Elon Musk doesn't vacation often , but when he does, he does it in style. 

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO — who's currently embroiled in a battle over the future of Twitter  — was spotted Sunday aboard a luxury yacht in Mykonos, Greece. Joined by a group of friends that included Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel and his fashion-designer wife, Sarah Staudinger, Musk spent the day swimming, sunning himself, drinking cocktails, and even getting hosed down by Emanuel . 

"Haha damn, maybe I should take off my shirt more often," Musk tweeted Tuesday after the photos went viral, adding that he was "already back in the factory." 

—Page Six (@PageSix) July 18, 2022

While Musk famously owns a $70 million private jet , he hasn't sprung for a yacht of his own (unlike his space rival, Jeff Bezos ). Instead, the group chartered the vessel — called Zeus — from SamBoat , a European online boat-rental firm that operates in Greece, Croatia, and Spain, and has plans to expand to the US. 

Here's a peek inside the luxurious superyacht, which rents for over $7,000 a day. 

Zeus is a 24-meter yacht, which is equivalent to about 79 feet. Renting the vessel starts at $7,171.

The yacht has capacity for 20 people and is intended for full-day excursions.

A skipper is included with the rental — the skipper serves as your captain during your trip.

Passengers can swim off the back platform, like Musk did ...

... or lounge with a cocktail on the rear deck.

If guests need a break from the sun, there's room to sit down for a meal inside. And if anyone needs a nap, there are four berths onboard that can sleep up to eight people.

And for anyone looking to explore the turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea, there's snorkeling gear onboard.

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• Rotterdam may demolish a portion of the bridge for Jeff Bezos' superyacht

Jeff Bezos Yacht

Koningshaven bridge.

The Dutch city of Rotterdam has retracted prior statements that the historic Koningshaven Bridge will be temporarily demolished. Officials confirmed on Thursday that no decision had been taken.

The Dutch mayor of Rotterdam backed down on Thursday from plans to demolish a portion of the historic Koningshaven Bridge so that a superyacht constructed for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos could travel through the city's waterway, stating that a decision had not yet been made.

*  Officials in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, were asked to demolish a portion of the Koningshaven "De Hef" lift bridge to allow Jeff Bezos' new luxury boat to pass.

This week, municipal authorities notified the media that Rotterdam had agreed to temporarily demolish the central portion of the 95-year-old bridge to allow the boat to sail through this summer.

However, officials claimed in another statement Thursday evening that the city had not yet accepted the idea, despite receiving a request from the shipbuilder to temporarily elevate the central section of the bridge.

According to the city's statement, if the deconstruction is permitted, the shipbuilder will bear the entire cost. The bridge, known locally as "De Hef ", would be rebuilt quickly.

A municipal official stated that she did not know how much the demolition would cost. According to the city statement, officials will analyze the proposals' environmental and economic impacts.

A spokeswoman for Amazon did not reply to queries for information on the price or the location of the boat. In an email, a representative for Oceanco , the Dutch custom yacht firm that is building the boat, stated that she could not comment on projects in progress or clients for confidentiality reasons.

The decision by the city of Rotterdam to demolish a portion of the bridge was revealed on Wednesday by Rijnmond, a regional Dutch public broadcaster. According to Boat International, which publishes articles about the superyacht industry, when completed later this year, the 417-foot sailboat will be the largest sailing yacht in the world, surpassing the Sea Cloud , a 360-foot sailboat built in 1931 and owned by the Yacht Portfolio, a Malta-based investment firm.

According to Bloomberg, the superyacht Mr. Bezos commissioned would most likely cost more than $500 million to complete. Mr. Bezos is the world's second-richest person, trailing only Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

The bridge, which has a 130-foot boat clearance, is presently not in service. According to Eddy le Couvreur, a Rotterdam tour guide, the bridge, constructed by Dutch architect Pieter Joosting and a landmark in the Rotterdam skyline, was previously utilized for railway traffic. It was the first vertical lift bridge in the Netherlands and was modeled after comparable bridges in the United States. According to him, the bridge's futuristic industrial aesthetics inspired a short film in 1928.

Tall ships used to travel under the bridge before constructing their masts and larger superstructure, he explained.

Dennis Tak, a Rotterdam Labor Party municipal councilor, said he was comfortable with the bridge being demolished since the city would not be paying for it, and because the process would generate employment. "This is a perfect opportunity for the city to seize part of his money," Mr. Tak remarked.

According to Siebe Thissen, author of the novel "The Boy Who Leaped From the Bridge," about a working-class man who jumped from the bridge in 1933, the structure represents more than a bridge to the people of Rotterdam. "It's a memorial," he remarked. "It's Rotterdam's identity."

When municipal officials attempted to demolish the bridge in the 1990s because it was no longer in use, there were big protests, he added, describing it as a symbol of "the old days" in Rotterdam.

"I suppose that's why there's so much uproar about Jeff Bezos and his yacht," he remarked, before responding to Amazon's charges. "People wonder, 'Why this guy?'" It's a working-class community, and everyone knows Jeff Bezos abuses his employees, so people say, 'Why should this person be permitted to demolish the bridge for his boat?'"

More than 600 Facebook users stated they planned to attend an event named "Throwing eggs at superyacht Jeff Bezos," where they planned to meet near the bridge and fling eggs at the boat. "Rotterdammers are proud of their city and don't knock down historic buildings simply because you're incredibly affluent," said Pablo Strörmann, the event's organizer, who admitted that he founded the Facebook group "primarily" as a joke.

Mr. le Couvreur, who works for the firm Tours by Locals, which connects visitors with local guides, said Rotterdammers would likely relish the international attention that the performance had brought. "On the other hand, it demonstrates the unimaginable wealth that people like Bezos have created for themselves, that nothing can stand in the way of them living out their dreams and hobbies," he said, adding that the perspective was "worlds other than those who will be watching the ship pass through the city."

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Elon Musk Soaks Up Sun While Spending Time with Pals Aboard Luxury Yacht in Greece

The world's richest person hung out with Ari Emanuel and wife Sarah Staudinger as he faces a lawsuit from Twitter

Elon Musk is continuing to enjoy his time in Greece.

The billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO, 51, on Monday was seen soaking up the sunwhile spending time with friends aboard a luxury yacht moored off the coast of Mykonos, Greece.

Photographs showed Musk shirtless while having a drink back on board after diving into the sea. The group he was spending time with included Ari Emanuel , CEO of the entertainment and media agency Endeavor, as well as his wife Sarah Staudinger . Musk was in attendance when the pair said "I do" back in May.

The timing of the trip took place shortly after Musk filed to terminate his $44 billion deal to purchase Twitter , for which the company is suing him.

Nearly two months after the businessman and philanthropist said that the highly anticipated deal was " temporarily on hold ," he claimed in a July 8 filing that the company was in "breach of multiple provisions" of the original agreement.

"Sometimes Twitter has ignored Mr. Musk's requests, sometimes it has rejected them for reasons that appear to be unjustified, and sometimes it has claimed to comply while giving Mr. Musk incomplete or unusable information," read the court filing obtained by PEOPLE.

RELATED VIDEO: Elon Musk Had Twins Last Year with Exec Shivon Zilis Just Weeks Before His & Grimes' Baby Was Born

On July 12, Twitter launched a lawsuit against Musk to "compel" his completion of the deal. In court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Twitter claimed Musk acted in "bad faith" after reaching a deal to buy the social media platform earlier this year.

"In April 2022, Elon Musk entered into a binding merger agreement with Twitter, promising to use his best efforts to get the deal done," Twitter said in the complaint, filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery.

"Now, less than three months later, Musk refuses to honor his obligations to Twitter and its stockholders because the deal he signed no longer serves his personal interests," it continued.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE 's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"Having mounted a public spectacle to put Twitter in play, and having proposed and then signed a seller-friendly merger agreement, Musk apparently believes that he — unlike every other party subject to Delaware contract law — is free to change his mind, trash the company, disrupt its operations, destroy stockholder value, and walk away," the company claimed.

Since then, Musk has responded by tweeting a meme of himself laughing in a series of four photos.

"They said I couldn't buy Twitter, Then they wouldn't disclose bot info, Now they want to force me to buy Twitter in court, Now they have to disclose bot info in court," read the meme.

When Musk filed to terminate the deal, he claimed that Twitter did not provide enough information about the number of fake accounts and bots on the social media platform, and didn't give his team enough data to do their own analysis.

Reps for Musk haven't returned PEOPLE's request for comment about the suit.

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A Voyage Through Elon Musk's Futuristic Yacht

Elon Musk, the pioneer behind SpaceX and Tesla, is renowned for pushing the boundaries of technology. But his influence extends beyond space and electric cars—his yacht is a veritable sea-bound spaceship, a marvel that merges luxury, design, and technology.

A Fusion of Luxury and Tech

Elon Musk's yacht effortlessly blends opulence with cutting-edge technology. The interiors are awash with sleek, futuristic design elements that echo the aesthetics of Tesla's vehicles and SpaceX's spacecraft. From the smart lighting system that adjusts according to the time of day to the innovative climate control mechanism, the yacht exemplifies smart living.

Each stateroom is outfitted with a state-of-the-art entertainment system, which syncs with personal devices to offer a customized multimedia experience. Musk's love for minimalism is evident in the yacht's design—the furniture's clean lines and the muted color palette create a tranquil environment.

Navigating the Green Wave

Musk’s commitment to sustainability is well-documented, and his yacht is no exception. The yacht’s hull has been crafted from an eco-friendly composite material, and solar panels integrated into the design provide clean energy.

The onboard water purification system ensures that no waste water is discharged into the ocean, thus protecting marine life. Additionally, the yacht is powered by an electric motor, reflecting Musk's endeavor to promote zero-emission transportation.

Luxe Amenities on Board

The yacht houses a variety of upscale amenities. The onboard gym, equipped with cutting-edge fitness technology, allows guests to maintain their workout regimen while at sea. The yacht also features a modern spa with a sauna and massage room for the ultimate relaxation.

The highlight, however, is the panoramic observation deck. This magnificent space offers a 360-degree view of the surroundings and is the perfect spot for stargazing or watching the sunrise.

Gourmet Dining Experience

No yacht is complete without a sophisticated culinary setup, and Musk’s vessel is no different. The yacht houses a gourmet kitchen, featuring state-of-the-art appliances and a team of world-class chefs. Here, guests can indulge in a diverse menu of international cuisines, all prepared with locally-sourced and organic ingredients.

Adjacent to the kitchen, the elegant dining area can comfortably seat multiple guests, making it the perfect spot for intimate dinners or lavish parties.

Innovative Navigation and Safety Features

Consistent with Musk's reputation for technological innovation, the yacht’s navigation system employs advanced satellite technology and AI-assisted guidance. This not only ensures efficient travel but also significantly enhances safety at sea.

The yacht’s safety features are equally impressive, with comprehensive onboard surveillance, state-of-the-art fire suppression systems, and automated emergency protocols. These measures ensure that guests can enjoy their sea voyage with complete peace of mind.

Exploring the Underwater Realm

One of the most captivating features of Musk's yacht is the onboard mini-submarine. This underwater vehicle allows guests to explore the ocean depths in comfort and safety, offering a unique perspective of the marine world. The yacht also provides an array of diving and snorkeling equipment, inviting guests to take a closer look at the underwater life.

The Future of Yachting

Elon Musk’s yacht is not just a vessel; it’s a statement of the future. It stands as a testament to how technological innovations can revolutionize our lifestyle, even when we're out on the ocean. With its groundbreaking design and eco-conscious features, Musk's yacht sets a new standard for luxury sea travel, signaling the dawn of a new era in yachting.

In conclusion, Elon Musk's yacht is a testament to his vision for the future - a future that seamlessly blends luxury, technology, and sustainability. From the gourmet kitchen to the mini-submarine, every aspect of the yacht underscores Musk's commitment to redefining our experience of the world. And as we look ahead, one thing is certain: the future of yachting will indeed be exciting.

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Exploring the Extravagance: David Geffen's Luxury Yacht

From Elon Musk to Kim Kardashian, this luxurious explorer yacht can be configured to satisfy a billionaire’s every whim. The 262 feet long vessel can have everything from a full fledged laboratory to a dive center to a helicopter hangar to even a rocking nightclub.

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Docked in the tranquil waters of Saint Barts, Lauren Sanchez celebrated her 54th birthday aboard the $500 million megayacht Koru with her girl gang in tow

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Tech billionaire who is searching for Alien life has the aptly named ‘Multiverse’ superyacht. Specifically built for exploring remote locations in utmost comfort, the $275 million behemoth has a wine bar, swimming pool, helicopter hangar, and a movie theater.

Roman Abramovich just spent a mind-boggling $2.2 million to fuel up his $600 million superyacht – Longer than 5 football fields, the Eclipse has anti-missile systems, a laser shield, two helipads, and its very own submarine.

Why should tomorrow’s centibillionaires get a megayacht when they can get their very own floating and maneuverable private island? The technology already exists for this incredible floating mansion that has its own waterfall, helipad and even a shark feeding elevator.

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Even the Jetsons did not think of this – This personal pod concept is a sleek carbon fiber sphere that can take two passengers on land, water and even the sky.

• Destinations

Discover the Luxury Yacht Elon Musk Chartered in Mykonos Last Summer

Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX , is known for his high-profile lifestyle and luxury travels. Last summer, he made headlines again when he was spotted chartering a yacht in Mykonos, Greece . The yacht was the Zeus superyacht, a stunning vessel that turned heads with its sleek design and luxurious amenities.

Elon Musk Charters Zeus Superyacht in Mykonos: A Look Inside

Zeus is a 24-meter yacht, which is equivalent to about 79 feet. Renting the vessel starts at $7,171 daily, making it a prime choice for high-end travelers like Elon Musk. The yacht is operated by Northrop & Johnson, a luxury yacht charter company that provides top-of-the-line vessels for discerning clients.

The Zeus superyacht features four luxurious cabins that accommodate up to eight guests. The interior is designed with a modern and minimalist style, creating a spacious and comfortable environment for guests to relax. The yacht also has an open-plan living area with large windows that provide stunning views of the surrounding seascape.

One of the standout features of Zeus is its outdoor deck space. The yacht has a spacious sun deck with sun loungers, a Jacuzzi, and a large dining area. The deck is perfect for hosting parties, soaking up the sun, or enjoying an al fresco meal with friends and family.

Exploring Greece’s Stunning Islands: Elon Musk’s Mykonos Yacht Adventure

During his time in Mykonos, Musk reportedly enjoyed cruising around the Greek islands, taking in the stunning scenery and visiting local hotspots. Mykonos is known for its crystal-clear waters, picturesque beaches, and vibrant nightlife, making it a popular destination for yacht charters.

Chartering a yacht in Mykonos allows travelers to explore the Greek islands in style and comfort. The area offers diverse attractions, from historic sites and charming villages to trendy beach clubs and exclusive restaurants. With a yacht charter, guests can tailor their itinerary to their interests and preferences, ensuring a personalized and unforgettable vacation experience.

From Mykonos to the Greek Isles: Aboard the Yacht Chartered by Elon Musk

In addition to Zeus, many other luxury yachts are available for charter in Mykonos and the surrounding areas. From sleek motor yachts to classic sailing vessels, there is a yacht for every taste and budget. Many yacht charters in Mykonos also offer a range of water sports activities, such as snorkeling, diving, and paddleboarding, allowing guests to explore the stunning underwater world and coastline.

Overall, Elon Musk’s choice to charter the Zeus superyacht in Mykonos highlights the appeal and luxury of yacht charters in this stunning destination. With its crystal-clear waters, picturesque beaches, and vibrant nightlife, Mykonos offers a truly unique and unforgettable vacation experience. Chartering a yacht in Mykonos allows travelers to explore the area’s many attractions in style and comfort, providing a personalized and luxurious adventure on the high seas.

Contact  now YBH Charter Brokers:

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The World’s Richest Man Has A Surprisingly Modest Taste In Superyachts

The same can't be said for his taste in private jets, however...

Many rich people seem to be compensating for something when they buy f*ck off Ferraris and stonking superyachts. Elon Musk, however, was recently spotted off the coast of Greece in a relatively small charter yacht called Zeus.

In recent years, Elon Musk has kicked Jeff Bezos off this throne as ‘world’s richest man.’ Musk’s current net worth is $234.4 billion. Jeff Bezos’ net worth, for comparison, is $143.9 billion. Elon Musk’s companies include SpaceX, Tesla, The Boring Company, Neuralink and OpenAI. He can be a bit awkward, as seen on Joe Rogan’s podcast , and some people hate his Promethean attitude , but he is a fan of dry humour, a genius and is apparently (sometimes) able to manipulate crypto and stock markets at whim (make of that what you will).

Elon Musk also owns a $70 million (AUD $101 million) private jet, but – surprisingly, when you consider the spending habits of many of his contemporaries – does not own a superyacht. To this end, on a recent vacation to Greece, Musk was spotted on a boat called Zeus, which can be charted for some $7,000 (AUD $10,109) a day.

This isn’t cheap by most people’s standards. But when you compare it to Jeff Bezos’ US$500 million, 127 metre long superyacht – which is going to be the biggest in the world – or any one of these Russian oligarchs’ outlandishly luxurious oceanic steeds , Musk’s rented 24-metre yacht starts to look positively ‘Marie Kondo.’

WATCH: Jeff Bezos’ Superyacht Powers Through Rotterdam

Musk reportedly rented Zeus from SamBoat, which is a European online boat-rental company. According to Insider , the Zeus yacht that Musk was spotted on takes 20 people and is made for full-day excursions (when DMARGE checked SamBoat’s website , we could only find a boat called Zeus which takes 11 and is 12.3m long, however).

Insider isn’t alone though. Yahoo News has also reported that the Zeus vessel Musk was spotted on is 24 metres long. So presumably there is another, bigger Zeus out there than the one we could find. In any case, Musk appeared to enjoy his day of leisure, being hosed off on the back deck and joking about it on Twitter (he wrote: “I should take my shirt off more often”).

Features and activities of Zeus include swimming off the back, chilling on the deck, sitting down for a meal (or sipping a cocktail) inside, sleeping in one of the four indoor berths and exploring the marvellous waters of the Aegean Sea with a snorkel and flippers.

C’est la vie .

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Starlink: The lowdown on Elon Musk's satellite internet system

Starlink Maritime is rewriting the rulebook when it comes to connectivity at sea – but how does it compare?

It’s not just Tom Cruise who feels the need for speed. For guests and crew alike, fast, ubiquitous internet access at sea is now seen as a must-have provision. Everyone wants to surf on the surf.

“Connectivity is no longer regarded as a luxury,” says Nick Maynard, marketing director for communications company OneWeb. “It’s now right up there with reasons why a superyacht might not go to sea, such is the expectation from principals.”

This rise in demand goes way beyond Netflix and TikTok users on board. From audiovisual systems to artificial intelligence, fast, reliable data connections have become de rigueur and in demand – and there’s a revolution afoot.

The transformative technology everyone’s talking about is Elon Musk’s Starlink Maritime. A SpaceX offshoot, Starlink currently comprises a constellation of 3,300 low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites circling the planet at an altitude of 550 kilometres, give or take. In time, this is expected to increase to 12,000 satellites. It’s a radically different approach to the traditional VSAT system yacht owners will be familiar with: geostationary (GEO) networks that rely on satellites parked at some 36,000 kilometres and MEO (medium-earth orbit) satellites hovering around 20,000 kilometres.

The system is exciting to those in the connectivity business because LEO satellites can outperform GEO and MEO satellites by offering faster internet speeds. They’re also far cheaper to make and deploy, mainly due to their size. GEO satellites are physically bigger (around the size of a large van) and can only be launched one at a time, whereas Starlink’s LEO satellites weigh just 260 kilograms and 64 can be launched at once.

Why the need for so many? Simply put, fewer GEO and MEO satellites are required for coverage as they see so much more of the planet, given their distance from earth, whereas LEO satellites only see a fraction of the planet at any one time. GEO satellite coverage is planetary (barring the poles) but latency – the delay in data transmission – is high; LEO satellites can deliver much quicker speeds, but lots of them are needed to guarantee coverage. Imagine a torch shining on a globe – move it in and the beam gets tighter and brighter; move it out and it gets broader and dimmer.

Currently providing internet service to around 40 countries, Starlink is proving to be quite the disruptor. Compared to more conventional satcom systems, it also promises lower running costs and simpler installation, as there’s no requirement for a satellite dome. Instead, a flat antenna can be unobtrusively accommodated on deck. The only requirement is a clear line of sight with the sky overhead.

Starlink’s antennas can be flat because LEO satellites fly so low; the “look angle” of the receiver, therefore, is always close to vertical, so it doesn’t need a wide range of movement. The panels can also be smaller, given the strength of the signal. At the time of writing, Starlink was not yet offering global coverage, with internet provision restricted to the Mediterranean and coastal areas of the US, Europe and parts of South America and Australia. The company is expecting to achieve global coverage by around March this year.

One of the first yachts to install Starlink Maritime was the 54.9-metre Loon . Captain Paul Clarke reports the installation was easier than previous VSAT systems. “Almost six months after installing Starlink, we’re still in love with it,” he tells us. “We were able to turn off our satellite TV dishes and we now stream everything on all the TVs throughout. There’s no need to be locked into expensive, high-maintenance sat TV provider contracts, so it saves us $20,000 (£16,200) a year.”

Starlink Maritime’s pricing is also appealingly straightforward: $10,000 for two flat-panel antennas (only one is needed to provide internet, but two are supplied for redundancy in case of an output failure), and a monthly charge of $5,000 for unlimited data. Resellers, meanwhile, have recently started making the pricing even more attractive; connectivity company Anuvu is now selling single a Starlink Maritime antenna for as little as $2,500.

The upfront cost of the equipment is well below the tens of thousands you’d expect to pay for a sat dome on a superyacht, but the monthly subscription cost is similar or higher – but then again, so are the speeds.

Under optimal conditions, Starlink can offer a maximum upload speed of 40Mbps, and 350Mbps download per installation, which is considerably faster than most home broadband users experience. Of course, it won’t deliver this level of performance consistently in real-world conditions, particularly when coverage is patchy, or when you’re in port, competing for bandwidth.

Clarke notes that the system’s growing popularity does appear to be slowing things down. “We are definitely noticing congestion as more and more people make the change to Starlink,” he says. “We’ve also noticed that when in the same ports as cruise ships, we have a massive reduction in bandwidth. There is nothing official from Starlink about this, but it seems that they get priority.”

Still, Clarke remains enthusiastic. “You’ve got to understand that Starlink is still in its infancy and will continue to grow and get better over time as it launches more satellites.” He’s also a fan of the design: “Starlink dishes are flat, so no more need for the big sat domes. I think we will see some more sleek yachts coming out of the yards in the near future as a result.”

What are the alternatives to Starlink?

Of course, Starlink isn’t the only LEO game in town. Its sole competition – for now – is OneWeb, which has been steadily building up its own network of LEO satellites since 2019, with the aim of offering global coverage during 2023. Amazon, meanwhile, is about to muscle in with Project Kuiper, its proposed constellation of 3,000 LEO satellites. The company’s first prototype satellites will be launched this year.

Further providers are coming, too. If all the proposed constellations make it into space, it would increase the current number of satellites orbiting the earth 40-fold to around 200,000.

OneWeb’s Maynard says that the creation of a global constellation has been “a monumental, even Herculean” challenge for the company. “Each day our team has grappled with some big questions and decisions, for example how to efficiently manage a fleet of spacecraft from down here on earth, devising space-based connectivity service propositions that are relevant and easy to use, preventing orbital debris and cleaning up what’s already up there.”

Each OneWeb satellite is about the size of a washing machine and orbits the earth at 26,000km/h, at an altitude of 1,200 kilometres, which is described by Maynard as the “sweet spot” for delivering high-speed, low-latency connectivity globally.

A key differentiator between OneWeb and Starlink is that OneWeb’s constellation operates further away from earth, with a smaller fleet of satellites that each have a wider beam width. “We’re delivering global coverage with an agile, efficient and responsible fleet of just 648 satellites, far fewer than some other planned constellations,” says Maynard.

While OneWeb won’t be drawn on pricing  (“We are an indirect business, we can’t really comment on pricing as this would be determined by our distribution partners,” says Maynard), the company says it’s more cost-effective than the traditional VSAT hardware.

Using a dual parabolic antenna (more like a traditional satellite dish), yacht owners can expect up to 125Mbps download and 25Mbps upload speeds. OneWeb’s antennas are also smaller than those picking up higher-earth-orbit satellites, so they don’t need so much space on the radar mast.

It is offering a flat-panel version called OW1 for land-based installations, teaming up with Intellian to make it, but a marine version is not yet available, although market watchers don’t expect it to be too long before one is announced. Third-party flat-panel antenna company Kymeta, meanwhile, has been around the yachting scene for some time and offers a flat-panel antenna for superyachts that can integrate with OneWeb’s constellation.

Cardiff-based Excelerate has been in the satcom business for more than 20 years and is a OneWeb partner. “I’ve often said that in a technology business, I spend half my time being totally excited and enthused and half being terrified. Things never stand still, and the pace of change seems to be getting faster,” says David Savage, the group’s executive chairman.

The complexities of LEO are staggering compared to a GEO network, he says, which is why the technology has taken so long to realise and has led to several high-profile failures. The concept of LEO connectivity was first proposed 30 years ago, but the high costs scuppered the first companies through the door, including Iridium, which was forced into bankruptcy.

“LEO satellites are travelling at 25,000km/h, so when a yacht connects to just one it can only ‘see’ it for about 10 minutes and then it’s gone, so during that process, the yacht has to be handed over to the next one and so on and so on. LEO satellites have to work with each other as well as the ground – all at 25,000km/h – and there might be thousands of them, or at least hundreds, depending on which network,” says Savage.

Does this mean the end of satellite domes?

So is the writing on the wall for traditional VSAT linking to high-orbiting satellites? According to the owner of the 38.8-metre sailing yacht Atalante , an early adopter of Starlink Maritime, LEO is a serious contender. He describes Starlink’s tech as “transformational”, adding: “When the Atlantic and Pacific coverages are complete in March 2023 it will be revolutionary.”

Atalante had one of the first Starlink Maritime systems fitted in October 2022. “We have trialled it in port and on the recent transatlantic crossing from Palma to St Martin. In Palma, we would regularly see speeds of 35 to 50Mbps and sometimes even 80 to 90Mbps. There was not a noticeable difference between Palma and on passage to the Canaries.” He says the crew lost Starlink coverage about 430 nautical miles southwest of the Canaries and picked it up again about 175 nautical miles off St Martin.

“Class rules and insurance will mean we have to maintain our FleetBroadband service for safety communication, but if the reliability of the Starlink service continues to be good, I cannot see the point of paying for two parallel services when Starlink appears to be superior.”

As to whether Starlink is the future, Savage is sceptical. “For sure, I am in the ‘how cool is this’ camp, but I am also in the ‘where’s the catch’ camp, too. The Starlink Maritime option has  a lower contention rate, which means that  the service is shared by fewer users than the recreational vehicle or consumer offering, but  as far as I am aware, unlike the current GEO offerings, there is no way to guarantee a minimum level of service.”

Echoing the view of Loon ’s Captain Clarke, Savage adds, “The jury is out on what will happen when a large group of yachts are all trying to use Starlink in a crowded port or bay simultaneously. When it comes to guaranteed connectivity, a yacht needs as many plan Bs as possible. To rely on a single public or private network is courting disaster.”

A number of satcom equipment companies are now starting to offer solutions with as many of these plan Bs integrated as possible – taking advantage of the high speeds of LEO satellites, but with the ability to switch to higher-earth-orbit satellites if required. Whereas Starlink receivers can only see Starlink satellites, these companies have spread their bets.

Launched in January, Intellian’s latest offering, the XEO Series, automatically switches between GEO, MEO and LEO satellites – depending on which is offering the best coverage and speed. The XEO series requires the installation of a dual-band antenna, but its ability to operate across multiple frequencies means fewer domes are required.

Fort Lauderdale-based FMC GlobalSat, meanwhile, also offers a solution that packs in as much redundancy as possible, able to pick up GEO, MEO, LEO satellites across 210 countries, as well as 5G and 4G wireless networks. Emmanuel Cotrel, CEO and founder, says the best option for yacht owners is a hybrid solution.

Connection and navigation specialist KVH recently launched TracNet H90, a hybrid system that marries VSAT with 5G and Wi-Fi. Of Starlink and other LEO and MEO services in development, KVH’s Chris Watson says: “People are eager to learn about what they’ll offer. LEO services may be enough for some customers, and if they’re willing to accept the occasional outages, lack of live support and additional services and more.

“However, we’ve always believed that ‘good enough’ is never good enough when you’re on the water. That’s why we see the new LEO services as part of a genuinely robust connectivity solution for yachts. We designed our TracNet systems to offer that hybrid concept by seamlessly combining VSAT, 5G and Wi-Fi into a single antenna, while integrating and managing additional services, like Starlink, through intelligent, automatic switching for the best connections all the time.”

Savage’s company Excelerate, meanwhile, has launched a product called Hybrid Edge, which can pull in feeds from OneWeb, Starlink, 4/5G and higher-earth orbit satellites to offer the ultimate in redundancy and speed, since the device is able to combine bandwidths. It should be noted, however, that users will still need the relevant receivers on their radar masts for each connection to work.

“Starlink is grabbing the headlines now because it is the first LEO service to hit the mass market,” says Savage. “And while it isn’t the  only LEO service out there, it is enjoying a  period of very little competition, particularly because of the low capital outlay required by users to enjoy the service and the relatively low monthly connectivity costs compared to anything else out there.”

But competition for Starlink is growing as space gets more and more crowded with LEO constellations. Astronomers aren’t happy, but your teenager will be when they’re streaming the latest Netflix release in the middle of the Pacific.

First published in the March 2023 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.

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