Jeff Bezos is preparing to sell his $500 million megayacht, Koru, after growing concerns over its high visibility and steep maintenance costs.
The Amazon founder, whose fortune is estimated at $265.2 B, reportedly sees the 417-foot sailing yacht as more trouble than it’s worth. The vessel, known as the largest sailing yacht in the world, has drawn intense public attention since its launch. That spotlight now appears to be a liability.
Maintenance alone costs around £22 million per year. For Bezos, that expense combined with constant scrutiny, has shifted the appeal of owning such a high-profile asset.
Koru was built by Dutch shipbuilder Oceanco and completed in secrecy over two years. Its debut marked a new level of luxury, even by billionaire standards. The yacht quickly became a symbol of extreme wealth, especially with the addition of its $55 million support vessel, Abeona, which carries a helipad due to Koru’s sail design.
The yacht itself features a carved figurehead modeled after Lauren Sanchez, Bezos’s wife, depicted as a mermaid. It requires a crew of 36 and accommodates up to 18 guests, offering elite comfort at sea.
Bezos and Sanchez have used the yacht extensively. Their engagement party took place onboard, and the vessel has hosted high-profile guests, including Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Katy Perry. It has also been spotted cruising in luxury destinations such as Saint-Tropez, Capri, and Sardinia.
Still, the yacht’s size has caused repeated logistical and public relations issues.
In Rotterdam, plans to dismantle the historic Koningshaven Bridge to allow Koru to pass triggered backlash. Residents protested, with some threatening to throw eggs and tomatoes at the vessel. The plan was ultimately abandoned, and the yacht was quietly rerouted without its mast.
In another incident, Koru proved too large to dock in the Florida Everglades. It had to anchor in a commercial port alongside oil tankers and cargo ships, far from the luxury image it was meant to project.
These complications, paired with growing criticism over billionaire excess, appear to have influenced Bezos’s decision. The yacht’s name, derived from a Māori word meaning “loop” or “coil,” symbolizes renewal. Ironically, selling it may represent exactly that—a reset.
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