05 March 2023 , 14:59
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Billionaire Jeff Bezos' new yacht has finally set sail after five-year construction costing a whopping $500million (£415m).
Previously known as Y721 or Project 721, the yacht now goes by the name of Koru which means new beginnings in Maori and is the tallest boat in the world, measuring over 230ft tall.
The Executive Chairman of Amazon, Bezos is the third richest person on the planet with an estimated net worth of $115.4 billion.
Reportedly, the megayacht is set to be delivered to Bezos within the next couple of months.
The vessel is 127 metres long, making it nearly half the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza and is the longest yacht built in the Netherlands.
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The vessel is 127 metres long, making it nearly half the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza (Dutch Yachting)The yacht was constructed at Oceanco’s Alblasserdam facilities in the Netherlands and later moved to Rotterdam, but it was so tall that it was unable to pass under the Koningshaven Bridge when it was being transported.
A YouTube video posted by Dutch Yachting shows the megayacht going through the preliminary set of tests on the first day of its sea trials.
Sea trials ensure the overall safety of a ship and detect issues before the final handover to its owners.
The gigantic vessel has three enormous decks and at least two sizeable swimming pools. Almost twice the length of the Airbus A380, Koru will also have a cinema, several lounges and business areas spread across the enormous decks, reports the New Zealand Herald.
The ship also has a helipad and hangar for a D14-value helicopter. A total of 45 people, including crew, guests and specialist staff, can comfortably reside onboard.
The boat as seen from above in a dry dock (Guy Fleury/AP/REX/Shutterstock)The interiors onboard are reported to be inspired by Eos, which is a 305-ft yacht that belongs to his close friend, Barry Diller, who is the founder and former CEO of Fox News.
Koru will join a fleet of superyachts, helicopters, and planes already owned by Bezos and his millionaire girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez.
Their superyacht Flying Fox is 135 metres in length and is worth more than $400 million (£332m), it costs an estimated $40 million (£33m) just to operate each year.
The vessel has two helipads and its very own helicopter on board.
The news comes as Bezos has reportedly been forced out of the running to purchase the American football team, the Washington Commanders amid offers falling short of owner Dan Snyder’s $6 billion valuation.
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Some say Snyder is blocking Bezos from buying or bidding for the club due to his ownership of the Washington Post newspaper, which published a number of articles exposing the alleged cases of sexual harassment in the National Football League franchise.