jeff bezos new superyacht 2022

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An inside look at jeff bezos’ $500 million superyacht and what it costs to keep it afloat.

Cliché but true, the second-richest man on the planet, according to Forbes , owns the tallest sailing yacht in the world . In fact, the 417-foot Koru is so big, it has its own 250-foot support vessel .

Priced at $500 million, the Koru hit the sea for the first time in 2023 and has since ferried Jeff Bezos and company around the globe. Complete with three massive 229-foot masts, it can reach a top speed under sail of 20 knots, according to the New York Post — which is approximately 23 miles per hour.

Made for a group, up to 18 guests can set sail on the yacht, allowing Bezos to bring family and friends on vacation with him. Here’s a look at the Koru’s extravagant features and how much it costs to operate his floating mansion.

Also take a look at Bezos’ mansion collection.

See More: Robert Kiyosaki: 7 Ways To Become Wealthy Beyond the 9-to-5

Read Next: 4 Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money

Key Features

As expected Bezos’ yacht is dripping with luxury. With a net worth of $203.8 billion — as of May 4, 2024, according to Forbes — he can afford to outfit the Koru with nothing but the best and he did just that.

The superyacht has three outdoor decks, with two containing swimming pools, according to the New York Post. It also features a cinema, several lounges and multiple business areas, according to Luxuo .

Highly personalized, the yacht is complete with a figurehead modeled after Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sanchez. Even its masts are luxurious, as the Amazon founder chose in-boom furlers, which keep the canvases at the bottom of the mast above the deck, creating a pristine and spacious rope-free deck.

For You: Make Yourself Money Smart: 20 ChatGPT Prompts To Increase Your Wealth

Support Vessel

One of the most shocking features of the Koru is the fact that it requires its own support vessel. The $75 million Abeona features a helipad that Sanchez has been spotted using to park her personal helicopter, according to the New York Post.

Designed to carry extra gear, four jet skis, two fast launches and a dinghy were spotted on the Abeona during a 2023 trip to Mallorca, Spain, according to the New York Post. It’s also capable of lifting a small submarine, but Bezos isn’t believed to own one — at least not yet.

Additionally, the support ship has two extra staterooms, which can accommodate four guests. This could come in handy if Bezos wants to entertain a larger group than can fit on the Koru.

On-Board Crew

It probably isn’t a surprise that operating both the Koru and the Abeona is no small task. From staff to drive the boats and maintain them to caring for guests onboard, Bezos needs a small army at sea.

The Koru has a crew of up to 36 people, according to The New York Post. If you think that’s a lot, the Abeona requires up to 45 crew and support staff.

Annual Operating Costs

Purchasing the Koru and Abeona cost Bezos more than half a billion dollars, but his expenses didn’t end there. As you might imagine, the annual cost to maintain a superyacht and its own enormous supporting yacht is more than most people earn in a lifetime.

The Koru costs approximately $25 million in operating expenses per year, according to the Daily Mail . Much less, but still sky-high, Bezos spends around $5 to $10 million on annual maintenance costs for the Abeona, according to Super Yacht Fan ).

When their owners are on dry land, yachts have to find a parking space. However, even this doesn’t always come cheap for Bezos and the Koru.

In November 2023, the billionaire’s yacht arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but was too big to fit in the port with all the outer superyachts, according to the Daily Mail. Therefore, it had to be docked with cruise ships at Port Everglades, at a rate of $16,500 per week.

While one week of storage might be more than the average person can afford, picking up the tab for any number of weeks would clearly be no issue for Bezos. While his superyacht and the many expenses surrounding it are clearly astronomical, he’s still living well within his budget.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : An Inside Look at Jeff Bezos’ $500 Million Superyacht and What It Costs To Keep It Afloat

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First look at Jeff Bezos’ new superyacht, the Oceanco Y721

Jeff Bezos Oceanco Sailing Yacht Y721 Launched

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has gifted himself a sleek new yacht.

A $ 500 million superyacht , which upon delivery, will break world records.

Oceanco project 721, allegedly bought by Jeff Bezos, is launched at the Zwijndrech shipyard

That superyacht is Project 721 or Y721, the largest superyacht from the luxurious Dutch shipyard Oceanco , just launched in Zwijndrecht. Delivery is scheduled for 2022 after it completes sea trials.

Upon delivery, the superyacht will hold a number of world records, including the title of the world’s largest sailing yacht, Oceanco’s largest superyacht and the longest ship built in the Netherlands.

Based on the Black Pearl, the most recognized built by Oceanco , and also the DynaRig sailing yacht, the world’s largest and most advanced, the Y721 has three decks, measuring 127 meters (417 feet) in overall length. She will feature three masts and a bowsprit, and comes with a black hull and a classic, elegant silhouette.

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Jeff Bezos’ $500 million megayacht is seen for the first time with its three massive masts installed. Taller than the Pyramids of Giza, the vessel is ready for its maiden voyage.

Only a few days back, the Y721 sailing yacht was taken out of the dry dock in an unfinished state and quietly towed to Greenport in Rotterdam in the wee hours to avoid attracting attention. In case you’re somehow unaware of the controversy surrounding the $500 million schooner, the vessel grabbed headlines across the globe earlier this year when several news reports claimed a historically important bridge in Rotterdam had to be partially dismantled as her masts were too tall.

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Jeff Bezos’ $500M yacht has a 246-foot support ship, Lauren Sanchez figurehead

Much like Amazon, Jeff Bezos’ $500 million superyacht offers every bell and whistle imaginable, from A to Z.

The colossal, triple-masted Koru began its career serving the world’s third richest man this week, cruising the Mediterranean around Mallorca.

The 417-foot schooner first left Rotterdam in the Netherlands for sea trials in February. Dropping anchor in Mallorca put its jaw-dropping size on full display.

It also showed the extent of Bezos’ fleet: Not only did the Koru sail into harbor, so did its support vessel, Abeona, a mega-boat in its own right, the luxurious fast-launches used to move between the two — and aerial support in the form of his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez’s personal helicopter.

Sanchez also seemingly serves the fleet’s mascot, with the Koru’s figurehead, a part of traditional large sailing ships, modeled after her.

The Koru is the world’s tallest sailing yacht. Its three huge 229-foot masts power it to 20 knots. It’s also the biggest billionaire’s yacht which can move under sail-power alone.

The masts are so tall that Dutch officials considered dismantling the 95-year-old Koningshaven Bridge to allow the vessel past the 131-foot span on its journey from the Oceanco shipyard in Alblasserdam through Rotterdam to the North Sea.

That controversial plan was scrapped after local backlash, including residents being urged to toss eggs at Bezos’ “latest toy,”  the New York Times reported . The superyacht, previously known as Y721, was instead towed to a shipyard in Rotterdam, downstream of the bridge, without its masts.

Bezos, 59, and the bikini-clad Sanchez, 53, appeared ready for the summer as the pair soaked up the sun aboard Koru, a Māori word for loop or coil that symbolizes new beginnings — possibly a coy reference to their relationship.

Sanchez started secretly dating the Blue Origin founder in the summer of 2018. Bezos then announced in January 2019 he and his wife Mackenzie were divorcing after 25 years , while Sanchez finalized her split from husband Patrick Whitesell later that year.

Sanchez plays a critical role in the Bezos fleet: As a helicopter pilot, she was seen landing on the Abeona. She was also at Bezos’ side when he took the wheel of the Koru.

Koru was first seen under construction in 2021 at Oceano’s yard. The company is owned by a fellow billionaire, Oman’s Mohammed Al Barwani.

As many as 18 guests can enjoy the yacht’s three outdoor decks, including one with two pools. The vessel, which has a crew of up to 36, also boasts a cinema, meeting spaces and lounges,  Luxuo reported .

Every detail is designed for luxury, even down to the masts’ technology.

Bezos opted for high-tech “in-boom furlers,” which store the vast canvases at the bottom of the mast, above the deck. Each weighs nearly 2,000 pounds, but they allow his deck to be kept clear of ropes.

Clearing ropes out of the way maximizes entertaining space, and allows for a hot tub forward of the mainmast.

The yacht is also built for speed. Its three masts provide “one of the largest sail areas ever seen in yachting,”  according to SuperYacht Times .

The Koru’s original designer, and the identity of its captain, remain secret. Boat International noted : “With the elegant curve of the bow and a bowsprit, the lines are certainly classic, but we still have no idea which designer drew them.”

The Cayman Islands-flagged vessel also has engine power like most sailing yachts.

And while other billionaires measure yachts by size, Bezos’ is only the 24th largest.

However, since Koru’s masts rule out a helicopter deck, the billionaire commissioned a support vessel, Abeona, named for the Roman goddess of outward journeys.

In addition to a helipad, the 246-foot Abeona features an extra two staterooms for four guests and as many as 45 crew and support staff.

It’s the largest custom-built support vessel ever manufactured by Damen Yachting. On board in Mallorca were at least four jetskis, two fast launches, and an additional dinghy. Its heavy winch is capable of lifting a small submarine, although Bezos is not believed to have one thus far.

The “classic exterior lines” of Koru, are reminiscent of another billionaire’s boat: Eos, a 305-foot sailing yacht owned by Barry Diller, 81, who may have inspired Bezos after hosting him on the vessel.

Favored by megastars like Katy Perry and Bradley Cooper — who were Diller’s guests during 2019’s Google Camp in Sicily — the German-built Eos can accommodate up to 16 guests and 21 crew.

It was the largest private sailing yacht in the world when it was completed in 2006. Diller, chairman of IAC and Expedia, who is worth $3.9 billion, bought it three years later. Intriguingly, its figurehead is modeled on Diller’s wife Diane von Fürstenberg, the fashion designer.

But the $200 million, 305-foot schooner is now dwarfed by Bezos’ boat.

As Koru sailed in the Balearic Sea this week off the coast of Spain, Bezos’ boat symbolically surges past several other tech billionaires’ vessels – including Google co-founder Sergey Brin’s $80 million, 240-foot Dragonfly, and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison’s, $160 million, 288-foot Musashi.

It will cost Bezos, 59, an estimated $25 million per year to operate Koru, but the world’s third-richest man isn’t likely to need a loan with his $140.6 billion fortune,  according to Forbes .

Bezos’ use of sailpower sets him apart from most billionaires, but others are seeking a hi-tech zero-carbon power source: a Japanese billionaire has reportedly commissioned the world’s first hydrogen-powered superyacht.

Germany’s Lürssen Yachts announced in March that they had a hydrogen-powered superyacht in advanced construction.

It declined to identify the future owner of the unnamed superyacht, but specialist publication FuelCellsWorks reported Japanese billionaire tech Yusaku Maezawa, worth an estimated $1.7 billion, commissioned the innovative effort.

Dubbed Project Cosmos, the 374-foot superyacht is designed by Apple’s legendary Marc Newson and was first unveiled in early March at Lürssen’s facility in Rendsburg, Germany.

Once completed as soon as next year, the vessel is expected to utilize emission-free fuel cell technology to generate power lasting up to 15 days while anchored or to travel as far as 1,000 miles at slow speeds.

Three other major shipyards, including in Italy and the Netherlands, are likely to launch their own hydrogen started outfitting newly constructed vessels with hydrogen fuel cells as of March 2022, with the first models reportedly expected in 2024.

Other megayachts expected to soon join Bezos’ Koru in the water include two Lürssen models, the 475-foot Luminance and the 400-foot Jag, and Feadship 821, a 389-foot offering from the Netherlands manufacturer.

But even those won’t best the biggest megayacht in the world, the 593-foot Azzam, which launched in 2013 after being commissioned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi and president of the United Arab Emirates who died last year.

Azzam, which means determination in Arabic, reportedly cost more than $600 million and is nearly 60 feet longer than the world’s second-largest yacht, the 533-foot Eclipse, owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

Those monster vessels are expected to be surpassed next year by REV, a 600-foot yacht under construction in Norway which will have space for 36 guests and 54 crewmembers, according to Boat International .

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Will Rotterdam Make Way for Jeff Bezos, Lord of the Seas?

Jeff Bezos has it all. Billions of dollars, spaceships at his disposal, and soon, a $500 million super-schooner. The megayacht has been in the making for years , and is being built in the Netherlands. Upon completion, Y721 will be the largest sailing yacht in the world, with three masts, a black hull, and an accompanying “shadow vessel” with a helipad and room for Bezos’s other water toys. Yet misfortune has still befallen him. The yacht is large. Too large, by at least one critical metric: It cannot fit under the historic Koningshaven bridge in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, which it will need to get past to reach the ocean.

So city officials reportedly came up with a plan: They would temporarily dismantle part of the bridge so the Bezos yacht may pass underneath it. Bezos and Oceanco, the company building his superyacht upriver, would foot the bill rather than the city itself, and the bridge would be rebuilt after its ordeal. But officials have now backtracked, saying the plan has not yet been approved.

This is perhaps because the local population was not thrilled to hear that the bridge — known as “De Hef,” and a beloved local landmark even though it is no longer a working bridge — would be taken apart. “I think that’s why there is so much turmoil about Jeff Bezos and his boat,” the Dutch author Siebe Thissen told the New York Times. “People say, ‘Why this guy?’ It’s a working-class town, and they all know that Jeff Bezos, of course, he exploits his workers, so people say, ‘Why should this guy be able to demolish the bridge for his boat?’” The Times reported that hundreds of locals had said on Facebook that they would attend an event called “Throwing eggs at superyacht Jeff Bezos,” which sounds like a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

“Rotterdammers are proud of their city and don’t tear down iconic buildings just because you are superrich,” Pablo Strörmann, the event organizer, told the Times . (Strörmann also told the newspaper that the event was “mostly” a joke. Too bad!)

It is now unclear whether the city of Rotterdam will indeed dismantle De Hef for Bezos’s benefit. Nor is it clear what will happen to the superyacht, which must presumably find another way to open sea, or be built closer to it — unless Bezos is willing to settle for the world’s largest riverboat. Perhaps Bezos has finally discovered one problem that money can’t solve. Massive wealth will get you a lot. It will soothe fractious city officials and quash union campaigns, but maybe it can’t overcome the sentiment of a city that gives a damn about an old bridge.

Bezos is currently the second-richest man alive, behind Elon Musk. He has quite nearly conquered all he surveys. He can use his money to slip the surly bonds of Earth and touch the borders of space. But for now, De Hef stands in the way of his domain over the sea. Congratulations to the people of Rotterdam.

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Jeff Bezos $500 Million Dollar Yacht

Feb 21, 2022

The founder and executive chairman of the well-known corporation Amazon , Jeff Bezos, recently made headlines by investing about $500 million in a new yacht. Controversy surrounds this insane build of the world’s largest sailing yacht, which will necessitate the removal of a historic bridge in order to move it. Let’s take a closer look at all of the features of this incredible yacht, as well as the current transportation scenario.

(Source: Forbes)

The SuperYacht

There are three other well-known tech millionaires who are commissioning boats, but they are not as huge as the one Bezos is building. Many say this is another opportunity for these well-padded men, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, and new People magazine owner Barry Diller, to show off and one-up one other. Needless to say, the scale of these yachts is amazing, and you will be astounded by everything that has been intended to be on board.

Y721 Overview

Once completed, this boat will be known as the world’s largest sailing super-yacht.

Owner: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos Cost:  $500 million Features:  Three deck levels, a swimming pool, a helicopter landing pad on the tender, and a kinetic-propulsion system. Length:  417 feet Speed:  20 knots Passengers:  40 crew, 18 guests Running costs:  $25 million a year www.nypost.com

(Source: BOAT International)

Transportation Dilemma

Many local citizens in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, are outraged by the necessity to dismantle their historic bridge in order to transfer Bezos’ yacht. As a result of their rage, one person has organized a Facebook event to hurl rotten eggs at his super-yacht in retribution. Over 20,000 people have indicated that they would attend the event via rsvp. There isn’t another option for Amazon’s founder to relocate his ship, unfortunately. As a result, we sincerely hope he finds a way through this coming stumbling block. We are eager to see how the sailing super-yacht will appear after the sails have been attached.

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Bezos’ too-tall $500 million superyacht finally at sea

Jeff Bezos should have his new superyacht in time for the summer.

The 417-foot Koru left a shipyard in the Netherlands last week and anchored Wednesday off the coast of Spain near Mallorca, where it’s undergoing tests.  

The Koru’s excursion is part of the sea trials where an owner puts the boat through its paces to make sure everything is working properly, according to a person familiar with its travels, who requested anonymity discussing private matters. It could return to the shipyard for final tweaks before being delivered.

The three-masted superyacht is estimated to have cost the Amazon founder more than $500 million. Bezos, 59, is the world’s third-richest person with a fortune of $126.2 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Related More on the Maritime Industry

• Yacht reportedly built for Jeff Bezos too big for Dutch bridge (February 2022)
• The country that wants to ‘be average’ vs. Jeff Bezos and his $500 million yacht (July 2022)
• Rotterdam will not dismantle bridge to allow Bezos’ superyacht through (July 2022)

Previously known as Y721, the ship is now registered as Koru and is flying under a Cayman Islands flag. It’s the largest sailing yacht afloat, according to Boat International, and one of the biggest to be built by Alblasserdam, Netherlands-based Oceanco.

An Amazon spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The superyacht’s size has caused a number of headaches for Bezos and its builders. The height of its masts was originally going to force the city of Rotterdam to dismantle a historic steel bridge, De Hef, for the boat to be able to make it to the ocean. 

City officials initially agreed to temporarily take apart the bridge’s central section, but Oceanco ended up retracting the request amid public outcry. The shipbuilder eventually towed the vessel out to sea without its masts. 

The size of the sails also meant that the yacht couldn’t have a helipad on board. Instead, Bezos and his helicopter pilot partner Lauren Sanchez will rely on a support boat, which is currently crossing the Atlantic with a destination of Gibraltar, according to vessel-tracking data.

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5 New Superyachts to Look Out for in 2022

With the high demand for luxury vessels leading to a record-breaking number of new superyachts under construction, 2022 is looking to be a year full of boat debuts. With many projects set to reach important milestones, we are expecting lots of news from all the major shipyards. Here are 5 of the most exciting superyachts to look out for in 2022.

Feadship 1010

At 118m long, project 1010 interestingly marks Feadship’s largest vessel to date. Since the project’s announcement, the renowned shipbuilder is working towards a 2022 delivery. October 2020 saw the vessel hit the water for the first time when it was first launched in the Netherlands, but 2022 is when completion and delivery are scheduled. Although very little is known about the details of the superyacht, we expect to hear more as we enter the new year.

Oceanco Y721

Set to become the third 100+m sailing yacht in 2022 is Oceanco’s Y721. She will take Black Pearl’s title of the second-longest sailing yacht in the global fleet. When delivered, there will only be three sailing yachts measuring over 100m, with the biggest being Nobiskrug’s 142m Sailing Yacht A. Reportedly commissioned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Y721 is the longest yacht ever built in the Netherlands. As well as this, it is also Oceanco’s largest-ever build. 

Heesen Cosmos

After her Spring 2022 delivery, Heesen’s 80m superyacht Cosmos will be the biggest and fastest all-aluminium superyacht in the world. This is due to her maximum speed of 30 knots and 1,700GT. Cosmos features an exterior crafted by  Winch Design , which comprises clean lines, a sporty look and extensive use of glass, achieving a timeless profile. Expect to see her undertaking North Sea trials in early 2022 ahead of her delivery.

Lurssen Northern Star

Amongst the numerous projects under construction at Lurssen is Northern Star, a 107m explorer superyacht. Once delivered, she will be used to explore the farthest reaches of the globe. Northern Star (previously named Project Icecap) is a diesel-electric hybrid that accommodates up to 20 guests in 10 staterooms. She sports a rugged design by  Salt Ship Design and is due for delivery in 2022.

Amels Custom 78

With a gross tonnage of 2,850, once the Custom Amels 78m delivery is complete, she will be Amels’ largest vessel to date in terms of GT. The superyacht features exterior and interior design by Espen Øino and Zuretti Interior, respectively. Øino has stated it is “a unique project” which features a spacious, open-top deck, large aft pool, and wide side decks. She accommodates 14 guests in total whilst also housing 26 crew. The superyacht was recently spotted during her sea trials in September, ahead of her delivery in 2022.

Read about the largest yacht deliveries in 2021 here

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Bill Gates to sell new £600m green megayacht – before it’s even been delivered

Billionaire’s new cruiser boasts 12 staterooms, two hot tubs and a submerged lounge

Bill Gates had previously been a rarity among his fellow billionaires by opting against owning a megayacht, instead preferring to rent during summer trips around the Mediterranean.

That all changed in 2020 when the retired 68-year-old commissioned the world’s first hydrogen-powered vessel of its kind, splashing out more than £500m on what became known as Project 821. 

Gates’s interest in a green yacht was first reported by The Telegraph, when rumours swept the highly secretive industry.

Four years and a pandemic later, the vessel is nearly complete. But Gates, who co-founded Microsoft and is the world’s fourth richest man, has put it up for sale via a specialist before it has even been delivered.

Brokers at Edmiston have been tasked with finding a buyer for the yacht, which is still housed at the Feadship yard in the Netherlands.

The asking price is understood to be a cool €675m euros (£579m), with reasons for the sale unclear. 

In decades gone by, finding a buyer for a megayacht of this size may have been easy, as the super-rich have long desired their very own palace at sea . 

However, the sale of Gates’ vessel comes at a rocky time for the yacht industry, which has been in decline ever since Vladimir Putin’s war started in Ukraine two years ago. 

According to analysts at Berenberg, a recent drop-off in sales is “linked to the perception that yachting is significantly exposed to Russian clientele”, such as former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. 

Meanwhile, a reduction in orders could also indicate that even the wealthiest 0.1pc are facing the consequences of economic turmoil. 

Project 821, as it is still known, is 119m long and 19m wide – putting it among the world’s largest pleasure cruisers, such as the 117-metre Koru owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos .

However, unlike other superyachts, Gates’ vessel is unique in that it contains a hydrogen power system, including a heavily insulated cryogenic tank containing 92 cubic metres of liquefied hydrogen at minus 253°C. 

This is used to generate electricity in a bank of 16 compact fuel cells. The only exhaust from this process is water vapour, signalling Gates’ long-standing interest in alternative fuels. 

The software tycoon, who has pledged to give most of his estimated $129bn fortune to good causes via the Gates Foundation, has been a leading advocate of decarbonising the energy system in recent years. 

His green ambitions have led to him backing a series of clean energy start-ups through his multibillion-dollar fund Breakthrough, although Project 821 appeared more of a personal project for Gates, who was divorced from his wife Melinda in 2022.

According to Feadship, the space required for the hydrogen system added four metres to the yacht’s length.

Project 821 is not entirely hydrogen-powered, however, and is unable to make a long sea voyage running on green fuel alone .

Instead, hydrogen power can be used to help the yacht make shorter journeys, for instance leaving and entering harbour, travelling at speeds of up to 10 knots, propelled by two electric thruster units. 

Feadship says that the vessel’s “hotel load” – the electricity for air conditioning, heating, cooking, lighting etc – can be run for a week on hydrogen only. 

For longer journeys, or in the event that supplies of liquid hydrogen are not available, the yacht also has diesel generators with enough power to achieve top speeds of 17 knots. 

These can be run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), described by Feadship as second-generation biofuel – that is, biofuel which is not made from food crops.

Clean energy aside, there is no doubt about the levels of luxury on board the superyacht . 

For whoever can stump the cash, the new owner will be given access to an entire deck of their own, 37m above the waterline. 

This is arranged as an apartment with two bedrooms, twin bathrooms and dressing rooms, a gym, a pantry, two offices each with a fireplace, and a living room. 

Feadship doesn’t specify what type of fuel is burned in the yacht’s fireplaces, but it does go on to say: “The owner accommodation extends beyond a single deck. 

“A unique and completely private vertical corridor extends to the lower deck. This includes both a spacious staircase lined with bookshelves and display nooks and an owners’ elevator. 

“At each deck level, there are inviting private lifestyle destinations to savour such as a coffee corner and games niche on the bridge deck, a library on the main deck, and a private dining room with a sea terrace and adjacent ensuite stateroom on the lower deck. 

“It creates, in essence, a secluded four-level townhouse-by-the-sea within the much larger yacht.”

The yacht also has twelve staterooms for guests, two cabins for members of the owner’s personal staff, accommodation for 44 crew and “a dedicated hospital”.

Guests aboard will no doubt be impressed by the “towering atrium staircase that wraps around a circular elevator” and the 8.2m pool with “contraflow” and two hot tubs, one on the upper sun deck and one in the pool area.

Other features include a spa, swim platform, beach club, library, cinema and a “cosy” underwater “Nemo lounge”.

The yacht has no fewer than 14 retractable balconies.

“The balconies are unnoticeable when closed but slide out at the touch of a button, carrying with them their side railings or walls,” according to Feadship. “When fully deployed, their floors rise to become perfectly level with the interior room.”

The yacht’s partial hydrogen power system is a new departure for the superyacht industry, but hydrogen has already been deployed at scale in the automotive sector. 

More than 20,000 Toyota Mirai fuel cell cars have been sold around the world, which store their hydrogen as a high-pressure gas rather than a cryogenic liquid.

Road vehicles with liquefied hydrogen tanks have also been built. 

These, like most liquefied gas storage systems , gradually lose their fuel to “boil off” when left parked, an issue which will also affect Project 821. 

The process of liquefying the gas is also energy-intensive, meaning hydrogen is not always a low-carbon fuel.

The normal method of manufacturing hydrogen is by making it from natural gas, a process which produces carbon dioxide.

Almost all hydrogen produced today is made using this method, and as such is classed as “grey” hydrogen.

The aspiration is that vessels like Project 821 would be powered by “green” hydrogen, made by using zero-carbon electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. 

Alternatively, if the carbon dioxide is captured and stored during the production of hydrogen from gas, it becomes “blue” hydrogen , almost as eco-friendly, though this is not yet done on a wide scale.

Feadship has plans to develop technology which could produce hydrogen from methanol. 

Tanks for methanol would be much simpler and would store more energy than liquefied hydrogen alternatives.

These bold proposals are exactly what Gates is pushing for in his bid to save the world from a climate disaster, with or without his £579m megayacht.

As he said in an article for The New York Times earlier this year: “Very wealthy individuals should be making changes to their lifestyles to bring their emissions close to zero. 

“If you fly in a private jet, as I do, you can afford the extra cost of sustainable aviation fuel made from low-carbon crops and water.

“Wealthy investors have the capital to take risks, and indeed, should be taking more of them.”

The Gates Foundation was contacted for comment. 

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Sam Smith denied at door of one Met Gala after-party, as Cardi B and Offset reunite, Jeff Bezos rolls with seven bodyguards

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After Monday night’s glitzy Met Gala, celebs fanned out to hit over-the-top after-parties — but even some A-list stars had trouble getting in!

A source tells us that “Unholy” singer Sam Smith — who uses they/them pronouns — was turned away from a Macallan bash at the Mark Hotel.

We’re told the highly recognizable crooner was rebuffed — and told, “You’re not on the list, you can’t come in” — despite their hit-making status, plus the fact they were staying at the luxe hotel.

“They gave them a flat out ‘no.’ They tried three times,” said our spy.

We hear that Smith — who earlier attended the Met Gala with designer beau Christian Cowan — did not throw a diva fit.

“They walked out surprised,” says our source, “But Sam was totally cool and polite.”

Smith shouldn’t feel too bad. Last year, Page Six exclusively reported that Kylie Jenner was turned away from Richie Akiva, Doja Cat and Diddy’s party at the Box because it was at capacity.

In 2016, Page Six also exclusively reported that Tesla mogul Elon Musk was left standing in the rain after being denied from a party at the Top of the Standard.

“Everyone was shouting and trying to help, saying, ‘He’s Elon Musk!’ And they were just like, ‘We don’t care, he’s not on the list,’” said a spy at the time.

Either way, the rejection didn’t put a damper on Smith’s night: The singer was spotted at Dua Lipa’s bash at Rob Toma’s Hearsay in the Meatpacking District, as well as at a number of other Met Gala celebrations.

A source tells us, Smith and Cowan “kept the dance floor smoking hot.”

Also spotted were billionaire Jeff Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sanchez , and a spy said the couple had no less than seven bodyguards with them!

“SNL” star Kenan Thompson, who separated from his wife Christina Evangeline in April 2022, was seen wearing sunglasses on the dance floor and hanging out with three women, says a witness.

Meanwhile, exes Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny were spotted looking cozy at the Après Met 2 Met Gala hosted by Emily Ratajkowski.

Speaking of exes — on/off couple Cardi B and Offset, who had a public split in December , were seen together at Richie Akiva and Ray Ban’s party at Casa Cirpiani.

“They came in super late and were holding hands and by each other’s sides the whole time,” says our spy. “They seemed like they were a couple.”

Their reps did not respond to a request for comment, and Cardi also hosted a bash at Silencio.

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“Elvis” director Baz Luhrmann was spotted dancing at the same bash — with Lizzo and Sza — and the fete went till 5a.m. We hear that Usher, Lil Nas X and Alton Mason started a dance circle with the crowd cheering them on, and that Sam Smith was also at the party.

Over at the Standard — where Smith was again briefly spotted — FKA Twigs hosted a party that brought out guests like Camila Cabello,  Prabal Gurung, Lourdes Leon, LaQuan Smith and Tessa Thompson.

At Soho House, guests dined on lobster and shrimp at a party for Porsche. Celebs included “Saltburn” breakout star Barry Keoghan, singer Raye and “You” star Victoria Pedretti.

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New FTC transcript reveals juicy details on how Jeff Bezos and other top Amazon execs used disappearing messages

• Jeff Bezos faced FTC questioning over his use of the Signal app's auto-delete function.
• The FTC accused Amazon execs of intentionally deleting Signal messages that may be relevant to its antitrust case.
• Bezos denied using Signal for issues related to the lawsuit but admitted using it for other company matters.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos faced a barrage of questions from the Federal Trade Commision over his use of the encrypted messaging app Signal and its auto-delete function, according to a recently released transcript of his testimony.

The previously unreported transcript was part of a new complaint the FTC filed last week that accused Bezos and other top Amazon executives of intentionally deleting Signal messages to destroy potential evidence that could be used in an on-going antitrust lawsuit against the company.

Amazon executives continued to delete Signal messages that could have been related to the case, even after the agency requested in 2019 to preserve all relevant documents and correspondence, the FTC alleged. The court filing asks Amazon to produce additional documents about its use of ephemeral messaging apps, including Signal.

Signal is a popular encrypted messaging app that comes with an option to permanently auto-delete messages. Bezos encouraged other Amazon executives to communicate with him through Signal, the FTC wrote in its filing last week.

During testimony to the FTC in October 2022, Bezos mostly denied or refused to answer the agency's questions. But he also indicated that he may have continued to use Signal and the auto-delete function until 2022 for sensitive company issues unrelated to the lawsuit. He also gave vague answers when asked if he had received full legal guidance over the need to preserve all relevant information, the transcript shows.

"I don't know exactly when I stopped using it," Bezos said, according to the transcript. "But I tried very hard to be careful not to use it, to preserve messages and only use disappearing messages on things that were not, you know, responsive to these document preservation requests."

The transcript offers a rare and detailed look at the tense meeting between Bezos and the FTC at a time when the e-commerce giant had become a major target of the agency's antitrust enforcement efforts. Last year, the FTC sued Amazon for allegedly using its dominant market position to increase prices and reduce competition.

In an email to Business Insider, Amazon's spokesperson said the FTC's contentions are "baseless." The company also denied the agency's antitrust allegations,  calling the lawsuit "misguided."  

"Amazon voluntarily disclosed employees' limited Signal use to the FTC years ago, thoroughly collected Signal conversations from its employees' phones, and allowed agency staff to inspect those conversations even when they had nothing to do with the FTC's investigation. The FTC has a complete picture of Amazon's decision-making in this case including 1.7 million documents from sources like email, internal messaging applications, and laptops (among other sources), and over 100 terabytes of data."

An FTC representative declined to comment.

'Better way to communicate with me'

In his testimony, Bezos said he started using Signal in early 2019 after his phone got hacked . Signal offers better security than normal text messages because it is end-to-end encrypted.

Bezos encouraged some of Amazon's most senior executives to get on Signal because it was "more secure," though he said he never required it. In one instance, Bezos told Amazon's video streaming chief Mike Hopkins that Signal is a "better way to communicate" with him.

Bezos still uses Signal occasionally for work purposes, he said in the 2022 testimony, but he turned off all disappearing message functions "some number of months ago." His Signal use at work is limited to only the most sensitive issues that have nothing to do with the FTC investigation, he added. In the past, he set Signal messages to automatically delete after one week.

"I try to use that for things that I considered especially sensitive, like the data security, certain personnel issues, certain sensitive PR issues. So I would turn it on and off, leaving the – only for those issues," Bezos said, according to the transcript.

While Bezos acknowledged having received a document-preservation notice related to FTC's investigation, he declined to answer whether the notice had covered Signal messages as well. He also said he couldn't remember when exactly he received that notice, nor the legal guidance on Signal from Amazon's lawyers ("a year-ish ago maybe," he said).

An FTC lawyer asked if Bezos had continued using Signal's disappearing message feature through at least 2021, roughly 2 years after the agency had first informed Amazon about preserving relevant documents. Bezos said he wasn't sure, but he might have.

"I may have made mistakes in that regard from time to time," Bezos said. "I never would have used Signal under any circumstances with disappearing messages on or off to discuss any complicated business issues. It just doesn't make sense."

'I can make a mistake'

The FTC lawyer pointed out that Bezos received legal guidance on document preservation in 2020 and 2021, and yet he still used Signal's disappearing messaging feature until 2022. Did Bezos simply ignore advice from legal counsel about turning off the auto-delete feature?

Bezos said he wouldn't have done that, as he follows the advice of legal counsel as long as he understands it.

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"I'm human. I can make a mistake," Bezos said. "But my practice would be – when it comes to legal matters, my practice is to have smart counsel and to listen to them."

'I don't remember'

Bezos repeatedly told the FTC lawyer that he didn't remember much about the legal guidance regarding Amazon's document preservation obligations, including those related to "secure messaging apps." He also said he couldn't recall ever reading a document titled "Legal Hold FAQ" or separate legal guidelines for Wickr, an Amazon-owned secure messaging app the company leaders started using in 2022.

"I don't remember it. It's possible," Bezos said.

When asked if Bezos had received the document preservation notice shared internally in April 2020 — almost two years before he stopped using Signal's auto-delete function — he gave an ambiguous answer.

"I can't confirm that for you. I have no reason to doubt it," Bezos said.

JEDI Contract

The FTC lawyer also showed Bezos a log of Signal messages that were used with the disappearing message feature activated. Some of those logs were a thread between Bezos and Andy Jassy, Amazon's current CEO, between October 2019 and March 2022.

Bezos said those conversations were not "sensitive personnel issues," and had nothing to do with Jassy's appointment as Amazon's next CEO in 2021.

"If you're referring to the very first time I approached the idea with him, it was by phone, not by Signal," Bezos said about how he notified Jassy about his CEO position. "These kinds of matters are best handled – it would be best handled in person. And the pandemic was probably interfering with some of the in-person conversations, so it probably happened mostly by phone."

Bezos also said it's possible that he and Jassy discussed the controversial JEDI cloud computing contract for the Defense Department in 2019 on Signal.

"There was a dispute with Microsoft Azure and AWS and the Department of Defense and Donald Trump putting his thumb on the scale, and it was a – you know, this could have been a very simple, you know, PR thing, but a sensitive one perhaps. I don't know," Bezos said.

Single question mark message

The FTC also drilled into whether Bezos had used his famous one-question mark emailing method on Signal. Bezos has a notorious habit of sending single question mark emails to his executives when there's a customer complaint or other company issues he's worried about. Those who receive the dreaded question mark email often have to drop everything and produce a well-crafted response on short notice.

Those one question mark emails often turn into serious business discussions later when the responsible team prepares its response. If Bezos had used the same communication method on Signal, it would imply he used the app for substantive company matters.

Bezos said he doesn't recall ever sending just a one question mark message on Signal, according to the transcript. He also disputed that the single character emails are "substantive," though the team's response to it "could be substantive" if it turns into a meeting with long reports. In fact, when the FTC lawyer said there's an "entire series of protocols" internally at Amazon on how to respond to those question mark emails, Bezos seemed confused.

"I'm not aware that there's an entire series of protocols," Bezos said. "That sounds a little dramatic to me."

"I don't know what that is"

In another transcript released recently, Jeff Blackburn, who previously ran Amazon's entertainment business, told the FTC that he used Signal at work to communicate with Bezos, Jassy, and Hopkins, among others. While he said he "probably" talked about Prime Video on Signal, his use was mostly limited to simple requests, like setting up a time for a phone call. He also said he didn't think he ever used Signal's disappearing message feature for texts about Prime Video.

But when the FTC lawyer showed a screenshot of a Signal thread with other Amazon execs that seemed to indicate he had set up a one-week auto-delete period, Blackburn said "I don't know what that is." One of the threads also appeared to show Blackburn discussing specific Prime Video shows and their value to the company. Blackburn wasn't clear on when or how he received legal guidance on document preservation. He said he "did not" know Signal messages were covered by those legal guidelines.

In a separate notice in 2022, filed last week, Amazon told the FTC that it had collected Signal messages from some of its top executives, including Bezos, Blackburn, and Jassy. None of the messages were relevant to the FTC's investigation, the company said.

However, Amazon told the FTC that there are no Signal messages on both Jassy and Blackburn's phones from the period before June 2021 and May 2021, respectively. The company was "unable to determine" why that's the case, but said it's possible Signal messages were deleted when they got new phones. Jassy had two phones, a Blackberry Key 2 and an iPhone XR, when they were scanned in January 2022. Blackburn's was an iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Do you work at Amazon? Got a tip?

Contact the reporter, Eugene Kim, via the encrypted-messaging apps Signal or Telegram ( +1-650-942-3061 ) or email ( [email protected] ). Reach out using a nonwork device. Check out Business Insider's source guide for other tips on sharing information securely.

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U.S. Eyes $156 Million Yacht in Dubai Linked to a Russian Oligarch

The U.S. Justice Department is taking steps to seize the Madame Gu, a 324-foot luxury yacht, but it will be diplomatically thorny.

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By Kate Kelly ,  Michael Forsythe and Julian E. Barnes

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — On a clear morning in late October, the jewel-blue hull of the Madame Gu, one of the world’s most luxurious superyachts, gleamed, its aluminum rails shimmering in the sun. Workers on the pier said they had recently seen people painting, cleaning and generally keeping the ship with its helipad and six guest staterooms in pristine condition.

In past years, such a scene would not have been noteworthy. Many superyachts come and go from Dubai’s Mina Rashid Marina, best known as the home of the Queen Elizabeth 2, the trans-Atlantic ocean liner-turned-hotel that dominates the waterfront here.

But Russia’s war in Ukraine has turned an otherwise routine tableau into a diplomatic battleground between the United States and the United Arab Emirates, an important American ally that has established itself as a safe haven for Russian money and assets out of the reach of U.S. sanctions.

The $156 million Madame Gu epitomizes the problem. In June, the United States designated the vessel, which is linked to Andrei Skoch, a Russian steel magnate and lawmaker under sanctions, as blocked property. That means the yacht cannot use American companies for its upkeep, employ U.S. citizens or even use the dollar. The Justice Department is now taking steps to seize the Madame Gu, according to people with knowledge of the plan.

But the United States can’t seize property in a sovereign nation without permission from its government. The Emirates, which has taken a friendlier position toward Moscow, is balking at cooperating with the United States to pursue oligarchs, American officials said. The Kremlin is also using oligarch-controlled companies in the Emirates to acquire war supplies that the West is trying to keep out of Russia’s reach, according to a Western official involved in the sanctions effort against Russia.

Emirati officials did not comment specifically on the Madame Gu but said in a statement that they took their role “protecting the integrity of the global financial system extremely seriously.”

A closer examination of Russian assets in the Emirates shows that even before the war in Ukraine, Dubai had become a playground for Russians with links to President Vladimir V. Putin. At least 38 businessmen or officials with ties to the Russian president own homes in Dubai that are collectively valued at more than $314 million, according to the Center for Advanced Defense Studies. Five of those owners are under U.S. sanctions.

Since the Russian invasion, Dubai has established itself as a safe haven for Russian yachts and aircraft unable to sail or fly elsewhere. After Russian jets were barred from the European Union in late February, the Emirates became the destination for 14 percent of all private flights leaving Russia, up from 3 percent before the invasion.

“It’s frustrating when you see huge assets that are sitting out there and it appears that the country is not cooperating,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat of Rhode Island, referring to the Emirates. “It would be nice if there were more common cause against Putin while he’s busy shelling hospitals and schools.”

Mr. Whitehouse is sponsoring legislation that would use proceeds of the sales of seized Russian assets to help rebuild Ukraine. Senior officials at the Treasury and State Departments have also complained publicly about the situation.

U.S. officials view the presence of superyachts in places like Dubai and Bodrum, Turkey , as a symptom of wider Russian circumvention of sanctions and continued access to financial markets. Yachts have also come to symbolize the decadence of Russia’s oligarchs, especially at a time when Russian soldiers are scrounging for body armor and sleeping bags on the front lines.

Pursuing the Madame Gu

Built by the Dutch firm Feadship and put into service in 2013, the Madame Gu has a large helicopter pad on its forecastle with a hangar underneath that can double as a squash court when the chopper isn’t on board. The vessel has berthing for 36 crew members, according to one trade magazine.

Mr. Skoch, a member of Russia’s Parliament who is linked to assets worth billions of dollars, according to U.S. court filings, has had sanctions imposed on him twice by the United States, first in 2018 and then after Russia’s invasion this year. The Treasury Department has cited his “longstanding ties to Russian organized criminal groups.”

Mr. Skoch could not be reached and did not respond to messages left at his office at Parliament.

In an interview in October about the government’s broader efforts to go after the assets of oligarchs, Andrew Adams, a federal prosecutor leading the Department of Justice’s KleptoCapture task force, declined to discuss the Madame Gu. But the United States, he said, is warning companies they must not do business with individuals and assets under sanctions. The government, he said, will pursue oligarch-owned assets whose sale could be used to aid Ukraine.

“Where we know there is an asset that can potentially provide significant remuneration for Ukraine, that obviously is an attractive case to pursue,” he said.

U.S. officials are likely to use the case they made for impounding a $90 million Airbus business jet linked to Mr. Skoch in August as a blueprint for seizing the Madame Gu, said people familiar with the plan.

That means investigators will aim to show that the owner of the vessel, or the companies that have been providing services to it, have intersected with the U.S. financial system.

“If there are U.S. dollars or a U.S. nexus associated with supporting this vessel, massive enforcement actions could take place,” said Adam M. Smith, a former official overseeing sanctions at the Treasury Department. Companies that provide support to entities under sanctions could potentially face their own sanctions, said Mr. Smith, who is now a lawyer at Gibson Dunn in Washington.

This year the United States has carried out two high-profile seizures of yachts tied to Russians under sanctions, working with cooperative governments. The $300 million Amadea was taken in Fiji in May and sailed to San Diego under an American flag. In April, the United States worked with Spanish police to seize the $90 million Tango.

A Problematic Partner

Diplomatically, the Emirates has been reluctant to take a clear anti-Russian position when it comes to the war in Ukraine. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates, recently met with Mr. Putin in St. Petersburg, and the Emirati foreign minister recently hosted his Russian counterpart. Yet Sheikh Mohammed has also talked with Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, more than once and recently gave the country $100 million in humanitarian aid.

The United States has publicly expressed dismay over the mixed messages.

During a visit to Dubai in June, Wally Adeyemo, the U.S. deputy treasury secretary, warned of the need for vigilance and proactive steps in combating Russian evasion. That same month Barbara Leaf, the State Department’s under secretary for Near East Affairs, said at a congressional hearing that regarding the Emirates, she was “not happy at all with the record at this point” on sanctions enforcement. Mr. Adeyemo reiterated his concerns in a meeting with Emirati officials in October in Washington.

A senior State Department official said in a statement to The New York Times that the agency continues “to reinforce the importance of conducting enhanced due diligence to prevent sanctions evasion and investigating allegations of such activity” to the Emirates.

The Treasury Department declined to comment on the Madame Gu or the relationship with the Emirates.

Last month, the Treasury Department announced it had placed sanctions on an Emirates-based company, Constellation Advisors Ltd., that the American government said was operating on behalf of a nephew of another Russian oligarch, Suleiman Kerimov. Mr. Kerimov, according to American court documents, was the owner of the Amadea superyacht .

American officials are also worried the Russian government is using the Emirates to acquire military supplies for its war in Ukraine. On Nov. 15, the Treasury Department imposed sanctions on two Emirates-based transportation firms that had worked with another Iranian firm under sanctions, which in turn had helped transport drones and personnel from Iran to Russia.

Moored in Dubai

Based on a recent visit to Dubai’s Mina Rashid Marina , where the Madame Gu is moored, it is clear that international companies are playing a critical role in its care.

The Emirates-based company DP World, through its subsidiary P&O Marinas , oversees the pier where the Madame Gu is moored. Employees from another DP World subsidiary , World Security, staff the small guard box at the entrance. That makes DP World, which is owned by Dubai’s royal family, potentially vulnerable to American sanctions.

DP World “fully complies with all applicable local and national laws and intends to continue doing the same regarding the Madame Gu and other vessels utilizing our services,” said Adal Mirza, a spokesman for the company. He added that DP World had not yet heard from the United States or other countries that had placed Mr. Skoch under sanctions, including Britain and the European Union.

A generator set that dock workers said in late October was powering the Madame Gu — two container-like structures near its stern — bore the distinctive orange logo of Aggreko , a British company. The generator set was connected to the superyacht by thick cords; one of the containers was emitting grayish exhaust.

At the Mina Rashid Marina, soon after Aggreko was contacted by The Times, workers removed the generator. “Having identified that the generator was being used to power a vessel that is allegedly connected to a sanctioned person, we immediately terminated this rental and have since recovered the generator,” the company said in a statement.

Mr. Mirza, the DP World spokesman, said the Aggreko generator had been replaced with one from a local supplier.

P&O Marinas arranged for the diesel generator to provide power for the Madame Gu because that part of the pier, a holding area, has no shore-supplied electric power, said a port official in Dubai, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to the press.

“At the end of the day, if the U.A.E. hasn’t imposed sanctions, it’s not really their job to enforce other countries’ laws within their borders,” said Nabeel Yousef, a Washington-based partner at the law firm Freshfields, where he runs the sanctions practice. Nevertheless, “companies should not take comfort in the fact that their country has not imposed sanctions,” he added, “because even the smallest connection to the U.S. can lead to U.S. penalties.”

There has also been a notable absence onboard the Madame Gu in recent weeks: a flag. Unlike other ships moored nearby, including the Quantum Blue, a superyacht linked to the billionaire Sergei Galitsky, the Madame Gu appears to be stateless, apparently having been deflagged by the Cayman Islands.

Cayman Islands officials didn’t respond to an emailed inquiry about the ship’s status.

If DP World were to face fallout from U.S. sanctions enforcers, it wouldn’t be the first time the company has been the focus of attention in Washington. In 2006, DP World was seeking to manage some terminal operations at six American ports but dropped out of the deal after a bipartisan uproar in Congress.

Anton Troianovski contributed reporting from Turin, Italy, and Oleg Matsnev from Berlin.

Kate Kelly covers money, influence, and policy as a correspondent in the Washington bureau of the Times. Before that, she spent twenty years covering Wall Street deals, key players and their intersection with politics. She is the author of three books, including "The Education of Brett Kavanaugh." More about Kate Kelly

Michael Forsythe is a reporter on the investigations team. He was previously a correspondent in Hong Kong, covering the intersection of money and politics in China. He has also worked at Bloomberg News and is a United States Navy veteran. More about Michael Forsythe

Julian E. Barnes is a national security reporter based in Washington, covering the intelligence agencies. Before joining The Times in 2018, he wrote about security matters for The Wall Street Journal. More about Julian E. Barnes