Video: The Bridge in Rotterdam to be Disassembled to Allow Billionaire's Yacht to Pass Unharmed

The authorities of the Dutch port city of Rotterdam have announced their intention to dismantle the central part of the historic Koningshaven steel bridge, built in 1878. This was reported by incrussia.ru.

Officials have taken this step at the request of billionaire Jeff Bezos, who is constructing a new massive yacht at the Oceanco shipyard, located not far from Rotterdam in Alblasserdam. The $485 million three-hull vessel was too tall to pass beneath the historic bridge, but it is the only route to the sea.

After negotiations, local authorities agreed to dismantle the central part of the bridge to allow the superyacht to pass. It has been reported that all costs for the dismantling and subsequent reinstallation will be covered by Jeff Bezos himself. The work is expected to begin this summer and will only take a few weeks.

This decision has outraged some residents of Rotterdam and historians, as the local council had promised during the capital renovation in 2017 that they would never touch the historic bridge again. However, the mayor's office emphasized the economic benefits of this undertaking, including the creation of additional jobs, and promised that the bridge would be restored to its current condition.

It is noteworthy that Jeff Bezos is an American entrepreneur, founder of the internet company Amazon.com, founder and owner of Blue Origin, and owner of The Washington Post.