The World's Richest Man Superyacht Jeff Bezos Wants To Pass, Roterdam's Historic Bridge Will Be Demolished

JAKARTA - The Dutch port city of Rotterdam said Wednesday it will temporarily dismantle a historic bridge to allow the superyacht built for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to cross

Jeff Bezos' giant yacht, worth 430 million euros, is too big for the iconic Koningshaven Bridge, a historic bridge built in 1878 and rebuilt after it was bombed by the Nazis during World War II in 1940.

The shipyard that builds the superyacht in Alblasserdam, near Rotterdam, has asked the local council to dismantle the middle section of the bridge so it can cross the bridge.

"It's the only route to the sea," a spokesman for the mayor of Rotterdam told AFP, adding that Bezos, Forbes' world's richest person with a fortune of $177 billion, would cover the costs of the operation.

However, the decision has angered some in the Netherlands as the local council promised that after major renovations in 2017 they would never again dismantle the bridge, known to Rotterdammers as De Hef.

The mayor's office insisted on the economic benefits and jobs created by the ship's construction, but promised the bridge would be rebuilt in its current form.

The centerpiece of the massive steel girder bridge will be dismantled, to allow enough clearance for the 40 meter (130 ft) ship, Dutch media reported.

The process will take several weeks and is expected to take place this summer.

Jeff Bezos, 57, is one of the richest people in the world, having turned online bookstore Amazon into a global shopping giant.

When not traveling by sea on a superyacht, he can be found gliding into space in his Blue Origin capsule.