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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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Jeff bezos’ massive new $500m superyacht — complete with helipad and pool — spotted in north sea.

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Hoist up the Jeff B sails.

Amazon honcho Jeff Bezos’ $500 million superyacht Koru, codenamed Y721, is finally seaworthy — spotted in the North Sea after leaving Rotterdam on Feb. 13,  footage posted by the organization Dutch Yachting  shows.

The massive, 417-foot vessel’s test run came months after it was originally set to be delivered to the 59-year-old billionaire. 

It requires a 250-foot support vessel that houses a helicopter landing pad for the Blue Origin founder.

Bezos’ mega boat created controversy last year after a report that Dutch officials would  have to dismantle  the historic Koningshaven Bridge because the 130-foot steel structure wouldn’t allow the vessel and its 229-foot masts to pass through.

Following an uproar from residents, local leaders decided the plan was a bridge too far — and the boat was towed from its construction location to another shipyard in a nearby town without its masts,  according to Jalopnik .

The uproar likely played a big part in how and when it would float away.

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Citizens of Rotterdam reportedly swore in February that, should Bezos’ superyacht traverse the De Hef bridge, they would pelt it with eggs in protest . 

And when it finally came time to move the vessel out of its Dutch shipbuilding yard, the decision was made to tow it away under cover of darkness, the Cut reported.

Koru costs about $25 million a year to run. The pleasure boat can accommodate 18 guests — and requires a crew of 40 sailors.

It is far from the world’s most expensive yacht. That dubious honor is reserved for the $4.8 billion History Supreme — a gold- and platinum-plated vessel featuring a Tyrannosaurus rex bone wall made of meteoric stone. It was bought in 2011 by an anonymous Malaysian businessman,  according to the Richest .

Yet the half-billion-dollar price tag is a relative drop in the ocean for the Amazon founder, whose net worth was valued at  $181 billion  by Forbes.

Koru will join a fleet of superyachts , helicopters and planes already owned by the entrepreneur and his millionaire girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez.

The aluminum and steel schooner reportedly boasts three decks, including one with a swimming pool. 

The smaller, 250-foot support vessel that will sit alongside the mammoth one will include a helicopter landing pad for Bezos or his celebrity guests. This smaller yacht is also expected to be loaded with an array of toys including luxury cars, jet skis, speedboats, and perhaps even a personal submarine, the Daily Mail has reported .

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Jeff Bezos’s $500 Million Megayacht Was Spotted Undergoing Test Trials in the North Sea

The amazon founder's y721 koru from oceanco has finally hit the high seas., louisa ballhaus, louisa ballhaus's most recent stories.

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Jeff Bezos has a new toy in the works, and it looks like he’s making sure it’ll be ready for summertime travels.

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Bezos ran into some trouble earlier this year when it came out that the Koningshaven Bridge in the Netherlands might have to be dismantled to let Y721 Koru pass through, as the megayacht’s 229-foot masts exceeded the bridge’s 131-foot clearance. City officials briefly agreed to disassemble the bridge but then decided against it in the face of public backlash, according to The New York Times. That negative reaction included a threat from residents to show up and pelt rotten eggs at the $500 million behemoth.

Oceanco, the company that built Y721 Koru, ultimately decided against applying for the permit that would be required for dismantling Koningshaven Bridge, and the boat was instead quietly towed to another shipyard without its mast.

Bezos’s completed yacht will be accompanied by a 246-foot-long “shadow yacht” called YS7512, Damen Yacht’s largest-ever support vessel. It will fit 45 people onboard, feature a helicopter hangar and storage for Jet Skis and other water toys and is reportedly called Abeona , according to Boat International .

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Has the World Finally Had a Glimpse of Jeff Bezos’s $500 Million Mega-Yacht?

By Shivani Vora

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is appears to be getting closer to welcoming the superyacht he reportedly commissioned in 2018: a fancy toy fitting for the world’s second-richest person, given that it costs a reported $500 million and breaks one world record after another.

Called Y721, this vessel of all vessels is being custom designed by Dutch builder Oceanco and was spotted at a shipyard last week in Zwijndrecht, a town in the western Netherlands. It’s reportedly heading to another Netherlands town, Alblasserdam, for a final fitting. With a length of 417 feet, Y721 is the biggest sailing yacht in the world and the longest vessel to be built in the Netherlands. Features include a black hull, classic shape, three large decks, and three masts.

Superyacht Bravo Eugenia , belonging to the U.S. billionaire Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, was built by Oceanco, which is also rumored to be behind Bezos’s new massive vessel.

Y721 is going to totally change the world of yachting with its design and innovation, says Fernando Nicholson, a luxury yacht sales broker with the yachting company Camper & Nicholsons. “It’s a boat with the latest technology and bells and whistles that have never been seen,” he says. “This will be the standard for all superyachts to follow, but in years to come, when its features become more affordable. Right now, only someone with Bezos’s wealth can swing the cost.”

The superyacht is said to be modeled after Oceanco’s famous yacht, the Black Pearl , which the company site says , “is one of the largest and most ecological sailing yachts in the world. She can cross the Atlantic without burning even a liter of fossil fuel.” Y721 will go through sea trails following its fitting-out in Alblasserdam and is expected to be ready sometime next year.

The Flying Fox , allegedly owned by Bezos.

However, it’s only one of two new boats for Bezos: He has also commissioned a shadow vessel called YS 7512 from builder Damen Yachts. This support ship measures 246 feet in length and accommodates 45 additional crew and guests. It will also feature a helipad and meeting space and have a vast amount of storage for Bezos’s endless number of water toys, with diving and snorkeling gear, jet and water skis, waterslides, and surfboards among the bunch. Shadow vessels are a growing phenomenon in the superyacht industry and one more extra toy that their owners want to have at the ready, says Nicholson. “You see them more and more now as an add-on to a superyacht purchase,” he says. “They’ve almost become a must.”

There’s no doubt that Bezos will be sailing the high seas in full panache and style come 2022. But really, is there any other way when you have more money than almost anyone else in the world and attract an endless amount of attention too?

By Charlotte Collins

By Audrey Lee

By Erika Owen

By Katherine Burns Olson

The Most Incredible Features Of Jeff Bezos' $500 Million Mega Yacht

Jeff Bezos, the second-richest man in the world, will soon be the owner of a $500 million newly-constructed mega yacht in the Netherlands. While there is not a lot of information about the super yacht, there are a few facts that can be gleaned from the ship manufacturer's website and also several media publications. However, what is confirmed is that this yacht is supposed to be 417 feet long (127 meters), have several decks, and feature three gigantic black masts (via Bloomberg ).

The ship is called the Y721 and it is reportedly made by Oceanco, a custom ship builder that produces some of the world's largest and most luxurious boats. The company is owned by Omani billionaire businessman , Mohammed Al Barwani, and is based in the Netherlands. According to the luxury magazine  Robb Report , this uber-luxurious boat is expected to be the world's largest sailing yacht when completed.

It is super-sized

As superyachts go, the Y721 is extremely large. At 417 feet, it is one of the largest sailing yachts ever built in the Netherlands, according to Time Magazine . It is so colossal that for it to sail out of the harbor to go to the ocean, it has to pass by an iconic Dutch steel bridge that has a center part that can be removed so the vessel can pass through safely. This bridge, known as De Hef (literally translated as The Lift), is a lift bridge that can raise 130 feet in the air. That still isn't high enough to accommodate the yacht's tall masts, and the process of raising the bridge so the ship can exit can't be described as simple, either. Additionally, the breadth of its sails and supports makes it unsafe for a helicopter to land on the yacht without clipping its masts, so Bezos has reportedly commissioned a support yacht with a helipad to travel alongside the titanic cruiser (via Time).

The 246-foot shadow yacht known as the YS7512 will be the base for the Amazon billionaire's helipad, but it will also feature meeting spaces, and storage for his jet skis, water toys, and snorkeling and diving gear. It can accommodate up to 45 crew and guests (via Architectural Digest ).

It is a clean, green machine

In Brad Stone's book, "Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire," the vessel is described as being "one of the finest sailing yachts in existence." Although this luxury cruiser will almost certainly have fineries fit for a business mogul like Bezos, it is also said to be environmentally friendly. Oceanco based the blueprint on its award-winning , sustainable Black Pearl Yacht. The company says on its website that this ship is one of the largest and most eco-friendly sailing yachts in the world, and can cross the Atlantic without burning any fossil fuel.

It features technology such as DynaRig carbon masts, solar power, and a hybrid-propulsion system. It also has a waste-heat recovery system onboard that uses thermal energy and residual heat from exhaust gas to transform into electrical energy. While the construction of the superyacht has been reported by multiple media sources, the Daily Mail reports that Oceanco has declined to comment on whether this yacht was commissioned by Jeff Bezos.

Bezos can fly to the yacht, but only with the help of a support vessel

If Bezos is on land and the superyacht isn't docked, the Amazon owner isn't going to have to row back to his vessel when he wants to get on board — he can simply take a short flight to the boat via helicopter (via Bloomberg ), though that requires him to land on a support yacht. Using a helicopter to fly to his yacht is something that would have, at one point in time, sounded very unlikely given Bezos' mixed history with whirlybirds. He actually survived a helicopter crash back in 2003 when scouting for sites to use for his spacefaring venture Blue Origin. 

Bezos was on board with the pilot and two staff members when the overloaded aircraft started to struggle after taking off. The pilot was left dodging trees and desperately trying to get the helicopter out of danger. He didn't succeed, and eventually, the tail boom collided with a tree, causing the chopper to spin. The helicopter eventually ended up in a creek, but Bezos walked away from the incident. Recalling the crash in Fortune Magazine, Bezos quipped, "I thought, what a dumb way to die."

Given the circumstances, it is unsurprising that Bezos allegedly hated helicopters for many years. However, his hatred of the transportation method had reportedly evaporated by 2018 and been replaced by enthusiasm. It was this switch in attitude that, according to the New York Post , alerted Amazon executives to Bezos' affair with helicopter pilot and owner of Black Ops Aviation Lauren Sanchez. Bezos would eventually divorce his wife and the mother of his four children, MacKenzie Scott, and make his relationship with Sanchez public.

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Watch: Jeff Bezos’ $500 million sailing megayacht Koru looks humungous as it begins sea trials in the Netherlands

Jeff Bezos’ $500 million sailing megayacht Koru has finally begun sea trials, which takes the 127-meter luxury vessel a step closer to becoming the world’s second yacht sailing yacht, after Andrey Melnichenko’s Sailing Yacht A. 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 of a newly built ship are important to ensure the overall safety of the ship and detect issues before the final handover. The video begins with footage of the vessel being towed out to open waters before sunrise on a misty morning. Subsequently, megayacht Koru then starts with the battery tests under its own power, doing 180-degree turns and conducting turning circle tests. Interestingly, this is the first time the gigantic luxury vessel has been captured on video moving with the help of its own powertrain.

While sailing yacht Koru’s three huge masts were steeped last summer when it was taken out of its dry dock, the sails are yet to be unfurled, which is expected to be done over the next few days during its sea trials. With the sails unfurled, the three-mast schooner will be a sight to behold. The YouTube video also includes drone footage of the luxury megayacht, which gives us a glimpse of some of its amenities that are visible on the outside. The vessel boasts three enormous decks and at least two sizeable dip pools. Koru features a navy hull with red bootstripe and a white superstructure decked out in varnished wood. Its beautiful shape is characterized by a long bowsprit and a classic canoe stern.

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• Human Interest

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Soak Up the Sun During Outing on Rumored $500M Yacht

The Amazon founder and the Emmy-award-winning journalist were photographed sailing together in Spain

Abigail Adams is a Human Interest Writer and Reporter for PEOPLE. She has been working in journalism for seven years.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez are enjoying yacht life together.

The Amazon founder, 59, and the Emmy-award-winning journalist and helicopter pilot, 53, were photographed in Spain on Monday, sailing around Mallorca aboard his rumored $500 million yacht .

Bezos sported a pair of light blue swim shorts and a jacket while Sánchez wore a a pink bikini and a cover-up.

The luxury 417-foot-long yacht , named Koru, is believed to be the largest sailing yacht in the world, featuring three towering masts , several decks (including one with a pool), and a supporting 250-foot-long yacht with a helipad, according to Boat International.

Although Oceanco, a Netherlands-based custom yacht builder has refused to confirm the owner of the vessel, it was reportedly due to be completed and delivered to Bezos earlier this year, per the outlet — and it was spotted at sea for the first time in March, after leaving the port of Rotterdam, Netherlands, in February.

Bezos reportedly first began eyeing the yacht in May 2021 , when it was known as Project 271.

The vessel previously made headlines last year when it was reported that the city of Rotterdam had agreed to temporarily dismantle part of the historic Koningshaven Bridge in order to accommodate the yacht, a city spokeswoman told The Washington Post at the time. (Bezos purchased the Post in 2013, but newspaper staff has said they have editorial independence .)

However, following an uproar, city officials reversed their decision .

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This is just the latest outing for Bezos and Sánchez, who have been dating since 2019. Earlier this month, the pair were spotted together at the F1 Miami Grand Prix and they also attended Coachella together in April. At the music festival they were seen dancing and being affectionate with one another during Bad Bunny 's set.

RELATED VIDEO: Lauren Sánchez Shares Sweet Selfies with Partner Jeff Bezos for Valentine's Day 2023: 'My Heart Is Full'

Earlier this year, Sánchez paid tribute to her partner on Valentine's Day with a series of sweet selfies and a special message on Instagram.

"My heart is full ❤️🤍," the award-winning journalist said in the caption of her post.

Sánchez also shared a special birthday message for the billionaire in January, in which she thanked him "for being the most loving and supportive partner."

"Happy birthday to the man of my dreams, who lights up my world with his laughter and kind heart. You have shown me that no great love is not bravely fought for," Sánchez wrote in the caption.

"I am so grateful for the memories we have made and the adventures yet to come," she added. "Here's to many more birthdays filled with love and laughter."

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Jeff bezos and lauren sanchez tanning on deck of new $500m superyacht, jeff bezos & lauren sanchez sun's out, $500 mil superyachts out ... let's work on our tans.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are wasting no time enjoying his new $500 million superyacht ... slipping into some swimwear to tan on the deck of the huge ship.

The billionaire and his boo are on the massive vessel for the first time, tooling around Mallorca, Spain, and basking in the rays on the boat's sprawling deck.

Jeff stripped down to some blue trunks, and Lauren busted out a pink bikini for their maiden voyage Tuesday aboard the Amazon founder's new 417-ft long, three-mast vessel dubbed the Koru ... a Maori word for new beginnings.

Jeff Bezos' Mega Yacht Towed Away Amid Dutch Bridge Backlash

Hard to say what's bigger, the boat or their smiles.

Of course, Jeff should be in a good mood aboard his newest toy ... the yacht was finally delivered this week after some lengthy delays, including that little controversy in the Netherlands.

Jeff and Lauren had the ship's captain sail around the island, stopping in a small bay.

They didn't step foot off the floating village, but when ya drop half a billion on a boat ... that's to be expected.

The 2 happiest days in a man's life are when he buys his yacht and when he sells his yacht ... and Jeff looks happy here, though he might prove to be the exception to this rule.

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Billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg spend six figures a year maintaining their superyachts. Here's how.

• Superyachts  are one of the most expensive assets money can buy.
• The true cost of ownership is even more, adding up to millions a year.
• Here's how much it costs to own a superyacht — and what that money is going toward.

Financial advisors are quick to warn prospective owners that a boat is nothing more than a hole in the water in which to throw money. When it comes to superyachts, you'd better have bags and bags of cash.

As one luxury agent told Business Insider at the Palm Beach International Boat Show: "Buying a boat, it's a huge purchase — and nobody needs a yacht."

A superyacht, generally over 30 meters long, is one of the most expensive assets money can buy, with the largest costing more than a lot of real estate or a private jet. Billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Jobs each spent nine figures on their megayachts.

That doesn't include operating costs. Owners should expect to pay about 10% of a yacht's new-build price each year, experts told Business Insider. That's tens of millions of dollars annually for the most luxurious boats.

"It's a small-to-medium-sized business in its own right," said Jeffrey Beneville, a senior vice president at insurance company NFP, where he specializes in consulting clients about yachts.

Unlike many smaller boats, superyachts need staff, not just a captain. Some superyachts have space for dozens of crewmembers , including a chef, engineer, and masseuse for the guests onboard. Each gets an annual salary — the highest-ranking members earn six figures — and benefits. Eric Schmidt's yacht fits a crew of 28 for a ratio of about two crewmembers per guest.

Then there's fuel, dockage fees, routine maintenance, and insurance. The latter hinges on everything from the reputation of a yacht's shipyard to where an owner wants to take it (if a vessel is taking frequent trips to the South China Sea, for example, expect to pay a higher premium). If a superyacht has a support yacht — or a support superyacht, in Bezos ' case — expect to pay another 10% of that boat's price annually.

"The cost to maintain a yacht is so high that they just think that money's getting lit on fire," Matthew Fleissig, the CEO of wealth management firm Pathstone, told BI of his clients who choose to charter rather than own.

One of his firm's clients who does own has a 23-meter yacht valued at $5.2 million. The annual cost to staff, maintain, dock, and insure the boat is $346,297, according to documentation provided to BI. The lion's share is spent on marina fees ($95,970) and maintenance work ($88,408.) While not exactly a Sunfish, that boat is too small to count as a superyacht.

At 106 meters, the Amadea, owned by a sanctioned Russian oligarch , definitely does. The $300 million yacht, which was seized in 2022 and is docked in San Diego, cost $922,000 a month to maintain, a court filing showed: $360,000 for crew salaries, $75,000 for fuel, $144,000 for insurance, $178,000 in dry-docking fees, and $165,000 for maintenance, waste removal, food for the crew, and miscellaneous expenses.

"And that's an inactive yacht that's in the water," NFP's Beneville said.

If it were operational and carrying guests, the costs would be about twice that, or between $20 million and $30 million a year, he added.

Of course, it makes more financial sense for the non-obsessives to charter, and many of Fleissig's clients do. And some owners choose to offer their yachts for charter — the most luxurious cost as much as $1 million a week — to offset the costs.

"If you charter the boat for 50 days a year, it's going to help a lot," Anders Kurtén, the CEO of brokerage firm Fraser Yachts, told BI.

Then again, the running costs don't matter as much at a certain point. "If you're worth $30 billion, it's nothing. And if you're worth $117 billion — and these are the guys we're talking about — they're in it as long as it's still enjoyable for them," Beneville said. "It's not a money thing."

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( Taylor Hill/Getty Images )

Lauren Sanchez Is Assigned a Reporter—These Are the Multimillion-Dollar Homes To Stake Out

There are power couples ( Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce , Beyoncé  and JAY Z , Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck , to name a few), and then there are power couples.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are in a power category of their own thanks to the hundreds of billions of dollars at their disposal.

Recognizing this dynamic, the Daily Beast recently announced it was seeking a reporter to cover Sanchez exclusively . Of course, we began pondering the many mansions where she could be coming and going. At this point in time, it’s a worldwide guessing game of “Where in the world is Lauren Sanchez?”

The former broadcast journalist, pilot, and media personality certainly has an array of choices.

Bezos and his former wife, MacKenzie Scott , divorced in 2019. Since then, he and Sanchez have been busy scooping up luxe properties from Maui to Miami . The new crop of homes is in addition to the ones he owned during his marriage.

Bezos, founder of Amazon.com, has a fortune that’s estimated at a mind-boggling $199 billion. As of 2019, Bezos was among the largest landowners in the United States.

Let’s take a peek into their extensive, exclusive, and very expensive property collection. We can’t say whether you’ll see Sanchez, but at least we know where to look.

A few mansions in Florida

The couple recently made news with a series of splashy purchases in South Florida. Given Bezos’ net worth, it’s no surprise he tends to buy in bulk.

He and Sanchez picked up three pricey properties on exclusive Indian Creek Island in the Miami area.

After buying two adjoining homes for a reported $147 million, he dropped an additional $90 million on a third home on the isle.

According to Bloomberg , Bezos plans to live in the third home while he razes the first two.

The enclave known as the Billionaire Bunker has only 41 homes. Bezos’ neighbors on the isle include Tom Brady and Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner .

As Bezos stocks up in Florida, he leaves the state of Washington further in his rearview mirror. The Pacific Northwest was where he kept his official residence for decades and where he founded the company that made him billions of dollars.

The world’s second-richest man announced his decision to become a Florida man last year .

Record-breaking buy in Beverly Hills

Over on the West Coast, the couple also made waves with a big buy. Bezos reportedly purchased the Warner Estate in Beverly Hills from media mogul David Geffen in an off-market deal in 2020. He spent $165 million on the legacy mansion, a California record at the time.

While we wondered if perhaps the billionaire had overpaid , his decision to buy the 9-acre estate was calculated.

According to the Hollywood Reporter , Bezos toured some 40 residences in Greater Los Angeles before engaging the owner of the spread he eventually purchased. The two apparently dispensed with listing agents, opting to negotiate a deal aboard Geffen’s yacht.

The spread in Beverly Hills includes the 13,600-square-foot, Georgian-style mansion from the 1930s, numerous guesthouses, a tennis court, and a nine-hole golf course.

Geffen picked up the place in 1990 for $47.5 million and embarked on an extensive remodel. It’s a good guess that Bezos might also add his own touches to the estate filled with Hollywood history.

While married, he and Scott owned two Beverly Hills properties worth a reported $55 million. Postdivorce, Scott donated those homes to an affordable housing charity.

Wowie in Maui

After the wheeling and dealing in SoCal, surely the couple needed to take a break. Where better than Hawaii?

In 2021, Bezos and Sanchez picked up a 14-acre estate on Maui . The off-market transaction was said to be in the neighborhood of $78 million.

Known as the Carter Estate, the property is located on the island’s southern shore. And, like the L.A. transaction, this deal was also off-market.

The property includes a 4,500-square-foot main house, a 1,700-square-foot guesthouse, and a 700-square-foot pool. The holding encompasses seven parcels, including a fish pond with a white-sand beach.

Local agents praised the property’s privacy and seclusion, key factors in Bezos’ big buy.

Empire state of mind

In 2019, Bezos made a real estate play in the Big Apple , picking up a penthouse, along with two apartments below it, for about $80 million .

(Realtor.com)

Located downtown in a historic building converted into condos, the three-floor abode is the building’s crown jewel: It measures 10,000 square feet, and it has 5,730 square feet of terraces on all four sides.

Along with five bedrooms and 5.5 baths, it has a ballroom and a library. One floor holds an observatory, and there are views of the Empire State building.

In 2020, Bezos dropped an additional $16 million for a fourth apartment in the building.

Washington, DC, digs

The owner of the Washington Post also keeps a mansion in the nation’s capital. He picked up the enormous residence in 2017 for a reported $19 million. The compound, a former museum, has two buildings, a chauffeur’s residence, and a garage. It totals nearly 27,000 square feet.

The posh property is located in the Kalorama neighborhood, where plenty of DC power players have called home , including Michelle and Barack Obama and Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump .

(Lonely Planet/Getty Images)

Washington compound

Bezos had a home in Medina, WA , since 1998, when he picked up one house, and then a second, with his ex-wife. He wound up with more than $60 million worth of real estate on the shores of Lake Washington. In 2010, the then-couple embarked on a reported $28 million renovation of the property.

Bezos has since relocated to Florida, so don’t expect to see Sanchez traipsing around Puget Sound anytime soon.

Texas ranch

Bezos’ West Texas ranch , which he purchased in 2004, accounts for the majority of his land holdings, reported to be somewhere around 400,000 acres.

The property is the site of Bezos’ space company, Blue Origin, and was the setting for a Vogue feature on Sanchez. The property apparently includes an underground, 10,000-year clock and an Astronaut Village.

Sanchez told the magazine that she’s planning to go to space aboard one of Blue Origin’s suborbital rocket flights.

(Google Maps)

The two also spend time on their yacht, Koru. It’s apparently where Bezos proposed to Sanchez and was the setting for an at-sea engagement party that included the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Bill Gates .

Claudine Zap covers celebrity real estate, housing trends, and unique home stories. Her work has appeared on Yahoo, New York Post, and SFGATE.

Twitter Follow @zapkidd

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As Superyachts' Popularity Grows, So Is Their Supersized Climate Impact

A French sociologist characterizes the boats of the ultra rich a form of “ecocide” for the heavy toll they’re taking on the planet.

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(Bloomberg) — Superyachts are the ultimate status symbol for royal families, oligarchs and billionaires from Jeff Bezos to Bernard Arnault. The floating palaces are a source of fascination and secrecy — and greenhouse gas emissions. 

As Superyachts' Popularity Grows, So Is Their Supersized Climate Impact Back to video

The planet-warming pollution caused by luxury vessels that benefit the very few has led lifestyle social scientist Gregory Salle to dub them a form of “ecocide” and “conspicuous seclusion” in his new book, Superyachts: Luxury, Tranquility and Ecocide.

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There are almost 6,000 superyachts — that is, vessels over 30 meters (100 feet)  — at sea, according to a report earlier this year by media and market intelligence company SuperYacht Times. The total has quadrupled in the past three decades. 

“It’s hard to think about a sign of wealth that is more convincing than that if you possess a superyacht,” said Salle, who is a professor at France’s University of Lille. 

The concentration of wealth hasn’t just led to the superyacht explosion. It’s also led to a split in per-capita emissions, with the most well-off living the highest carbon lifestyles.

The world’s wealthiest 10% already account for half of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, according to Oxfam research. The nonprofit found that it would take 1,500 years for someone in the bottom 99% to emit as much carbon as one of the world’s top billionaires. The ultra rich’s emissions come from a variety of sources, including large homes and frequent jet travel. But superyachts are their single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, according to a 2021 study.  

The annual CO2 emissions of the top 300 superyachts is almost 285,000 tons, according to Salle’s book, an amount more than the entire nation of Tonga. 

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Read more: How the World’s Richest People Are Driving Global Warming

Superyachts are also more than climate polluters. Wastewater, noise and light pollution, particulate matter in exhaust, and even where the vessels dock can have an adverse effect on the local environment. Those outsize impacts add up to why Salle has dubbed the vessels a form of ecocide. 

The term — which was coined in the 1970s — refers to the willful destruction of nature and has often been used to describe the actions of the wealthy given their outsize carbon footprint. In 2021, lawyers proposed codifying ecocide into international criminal law, putting it on par with genocide. European Union lawmakers voted to criminalize environmental damage “comparable to ecocide” earlier this year. Whether the new law will be used to prosecute the use of superyachts remains to be seen.

Some owners are cognizant of the dangers their vessels pose to the environment. Jeff Bezos’s $500 million superyacht Koru set sail in April 2023 with sails to help power its voyage. It still sports diesel-powered motors, though. Oxfam estimates that the 127-meter (416-foot) vessel has emitted 7,000 tons of carbon dioxide over the past year, an amount equal to the annual emissions of 445 average Americans. 

That estimate is also almost certainly on the low end as the calculations account for the yacht being on standby rather than in transit. The number also doesn’t include Koru’s companion yacht, Abeona, a 75-meter support motor yacht that functions like a garage with a helicopter pad and jet skis. 

The sails on Bezos’s ship are an exception: The vast majority of superyachts are solely engine-powered. Only eight new sailing builds were completed in 2023, compared to the 195 new motor yachts. 

Understanding a superyacht’s true carbon emissions is incredibly difficult because of a lack of data collected and the inherently secretive nature of yachting, according to Malcolm Jacotine, founder of the superyacht consultancy firm Three Sixty Marine. Using the International Maritime Organization’s data, Jacotine estimates yachting emissions will hit 10 million tons by 2030 if the industry takes a “business as usual” approach. 

To help owners understand their boats’ impact, he’s developed two carbon emissions calculators. They have limitations, though, because they rely on voluntarily reported data and estimated tons of diesel fuel. 

Yachts spend 10% to 20% of the year sailing and relying on engine power. The boats reach top speed only 0.1% of the year, according to Robert van Tol, executive director of the Water Revolution Foundation. The rest of the year, the vessel is a floating hotel, relying on generators that are required for a longer period of time and emit more CO2, according to Jacotine’s calculations. 

Still, emissions data is done on a boat-by-boat basis, and one yacht may travel more than another in a year, making the traveling emissions higher, according to Oxfam researchers. Yachts are exempt from International Marine Organization emission rules, so true emissions of any boat are difficult to discern. That reflects how superyachts are both ostentatious and somewhat unknowable. 

“Superyachts are made to be noticed,” Salle said. “But [they] are also vehicles that are really secretive in the sense that you can’t access the inside if you are not invited.”  

Read more: Hydrogen-Powered Private Jets Can Cut Emissions — If They Can Get Off the Ground

New builds are focusing less on engines reaching top speeds and more on saving energy in hotel mode. But sustainability may not be at the forefront of purchasing decisions.

“It’s not a totally rational decision to buy a yacht,” said Ralph Dazert, head of intelligence at the media and market insight company SuperYacht Times. “It’s quite an emotional thing because it costs you an absolute fortune.” 

In 2023, the total value of yachts sold totaled €4.6 billion ($4.9 billion), according to Dazert. He said the movement towards sustainability will be largely driven by shipyards and engineers adding features to new builds, including using recycled materials. New types of fuel could also cut emissions. 

This year, Italian shipbuilder Sanlorenzo will test the first 50-meter steel yacht powered by hydrogen fuel cells, and another 114-meter yacht from German shipmaker Lürssen with the same technology is in production for 2025 for Apple Inc.’s former watch developer Marc Newson. 

But the larger the build, the longer the wait time. That means some of these features will take years to appear on the high seas, according to Jacotine.

In a bid to clean up superyachts’ image, some owners are making theirs available for research and exploration. That includes a new 195-meter yacht owned by a Norwegian billionaire Kjell Inge Rokke, which is set to launch in 2026 with over 50 scientists to study the ocean. (It’s also available for custom cruises.) 

While public scrutiny is mounting, superyachting is a client-driven industry. And for most buyers, luxury still trumps climate concerns. Salle noted that like many upscale items, superyachts aren’t just products. They’re representative of a “lifestyle,” one that right now is intimately tied to carbon-intensive activities. 

“Ecocide is something that causes deep harm, harm that is lasting over time,” Salle said. “You could apply this to what [superyachts] are doing, not just individual … but global.”

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Jeff Bezos’ $500M yacht appears to have figurehead of girlfriend Lauren Sánchez

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It may come as no surprise that Jeff Bezos spared no expense on his gigantic mega yacht worth an eye-watering $500 million.

The Amazon founder, 59, has been island hopping with his girlfriend Lauren Sánchez ever since he handed over a cool half a billion dollars in exchange for the yacht, named Koru.

And the massive, 417-foot vessel appears to even have a wooden figurehead that bears a striking resemblance to Sánchez.

The sculpture is featured on the nose of Koru, which Bezos affectionately named himself.

Koru is Māori for loop often found on silver necklaces, symbolizing new beginnings.

It seems as though the symbol means a lot to the couple, who have been dating since 2019, as Bezos had previously shared photos of Koru on his Instagram.

On New Year’s Day, the multi-billionaire posted a carousel of snaps from his yacht party.

“The new year is also a great time to take stock and focus on personal growth, renewal, rebirth, and paying careful attention to each moment of your life,” he captioned the post. “The good and the bad. All of it. Celebrate and grow.”

The yacht boasts three towering masts as well as three decks, one of which features a sprawling swimming pool, according to  Boat International .

“Koru” costs about $25 million a year to run and can accommodate 18 guests — and requires a crew of 40 sailors.

The yacht also requires a 250-foot support vessel that houses a helicopter landing pad for the Blue Origin founder or his celebrity guests.

This smaller yacht is also expected to be loaded with an array of toys including luxury cars, jet skis, and speedboats.

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Koru will join  a fleet of super-yachts , helicopters and planes already owned by Bezos and Sánchez.

Bezos’ mega boat sparked controversy last year after it was reported that Dutch officials would  have to dismantle  the historic Koningshaven Bridge because the yacht wouldn’t be able to pass through.

But after an uproar from residents and local leaders, officials decided that the plan was too farfetched and towed the vessel from its construction location to another shipyard in a nearby town without its masts.

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Go check out the first photos of a shirtless Jeff Bezos enjoying his new $500 million megayacht with girlfriend Lauren Sanchez

• A shirtless Jeff Bezos and his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, have been spotted on his new $500 million yacht.
• The 417-foot vessel had stirred controversy when it nearly required a historic bridge be dismantled for it to pass.
• Residents threatened to egg the yacht; the vessel was then quietly towed to another shipyard to avoid a scene.

Jeff Bezos has been spotted taking his new megayacht out for the first time.

The billionaire Amazon founder was seen shirtless as he sunbathed on the $500 million yacht with his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez , along the coast of Spain on Monday, according to Page Six .

The yacht, a 417-foot vessel called Koru, is believed to be the largest sailing yacht in the world. Its construction stirred controversy when it nearly required a historic bridge in Rotterdam in Netherlands be dismantled because the yacht's masts were too tall to pass under the bridge, despite its 131-foot clearance.

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The 100-year-old Koningshaven Bridge, known to locals as "De Hef," had been renovated in 2017, and the city had vowed not to take it apart again after that, according to Dutch broadcaster Rijnmond .

Locals grew outraged, threatening to egg the yacht if the bridge was dismantled. Koru's Dutch shipmaker, Oceanco, withdrew its request , and the yacht was quietly towed away to another shipyard. Its masts were installed later to avoid a clearance issue.

Koru was seen doing its sea trials , which consist of several tests and are usually one of the last phases of construction, in February, and it made its maiden voyage in April when it left Oceanco's facilities to travel to Gibraltar along its way to Bezos.

Check out the photos of Bezos and Sanchez on the yacht on Page Six .

Watch: Jeff Bezos reportedly just spent $165 million on a Beverly Hills estate — here are all the ways the world's richest man makes and spends his money

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Jeff Bezos dumped over a million Amazon shares to fund his preschool nonprofit, filings show

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos sold more than a million shares last week, per an SEC filing.

Some of the money will be used to fund the billionaire's chain of nonprofit preschools.

Day 1 Academies are "Montessori-inspired" schools. The first opened in 2020.

Jeff Bezos sold around 1.1 million Amazon shares last week — and used the money raised to fund his "Montessori-inspired" nonprofit preschools, SEC filings show.

The world's third-richest man sold 431,426 shares on May 29 and 667,260 shares on May 30, with the $117 million raised from the second of those sales going to Day 1 Academies, a chain founded by Bezos.

The nonprofit serves children between the ages of 3 and 5. The first of its schools opened in Des Moines, Washington, in 2020 .

Bezos stepped down as Amazon CEO in 2021 but remains the company's executive chairman and largest shareholder.

The stock has climbed 17% in 2024, meaning it is outperforming the benchmark S&P 500 but lagging some rival "Magnificent Seven" members, including Nvidia, which has racked up triple-digit gains , and Meta Platforms.

Bezos announced his push into education in 2018, when he unveiled his two philanthropic initiatives: the Day 1 Families Fund and the Day 1 Academies Fund. Both initiatives are funded by the Bezos Day One Fund, to which Bezos committed $2 billion at the time, in a bid to create a network of preschools in which "the child will be the customer."

The schools are directly operated by Bezos' fund, which "creates an opportunity to learn, invent, and improve" upon early childhood education, according to its website.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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Who owns the most amazon stock besides jeff bezos.

According to Amazon 's (NASDAQ: AMZN) most recent U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, Jeff Bezos beneficially owns approximately 1.12 billion shares of the company's stock, giving him a 10.8% stake in the business. As you might expect, this makes Bezos Amazon's largest shareholder, and by a wide margin. As of this writing, Bezos' shares are worth about $207 billion.

Amazon's largest shareholders are institutional investors

Beyond Bezos, Amazon's largest shareholders are institutional investors, as is the case with most publicly traded companies. Financial institutions that offer index funds must own a certain amount of the stock to track certain indices. For example, an S&P 500 index fund like the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) must own Amazon stock in proportion to its weight in the index based on the fund's total assets.

So, Vanguard is the largest Amazon shareholder, with 7.4% of Amazon shares held by Vanguard funds and their investors. BlackRock (NYSE: BLK) -- also a major index fund operator -- is the No. 2 non-Bezos shareholder, with 6.1% of the company's stock.

Amazon's largest individual investors

As far as individual investors go, the answer is a little tricky. Unless you're a board member of a public company, a key executive, or own more than 5% of the outstanding shares, your investment isn't required to be publicly disclosed. However, of the people in those groups, Amazon CEO (and longtime company executive) Andy Jassy is the largest reported individual shareholder after Jeff Bezos. At the end of 2023, Jassy owned 2,119,566 shares of Amazon, a stake worth about $390 million.

There's a special case when it comes to Amazon, however. MacKenzie Scott (Bezos' ex-wife) received about 4% of Amazon's shares as part of the couple's 2019 divorce. She has since sold off quite a bit of the stake but still owns quite a bit and is the company's largest individual shareholder besides Jeff Bezos.

As part of the divorce agreement, Bezos retained voting rights to Scott's shares, so they are included in his reported ownership. However, the latest proxy clarifies that Bezos' share count includes 184,282,131 shares "as to which Mr. Bezos has sole voting power and no investment power."

This implies that Bezos actually owns about 938 million shares, giving him and Scott 9% and 1.8% stakes in the company, respectively.

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John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Matt Frankel has positions in Amazon and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .

Who Owns the Most Amazon Stock Besides Jeff Bezos? was originally published by The Motley Fool