It is too big! The bridge must go down!
The Koningshaven bridge, in Rotterdam, has historical value, but it will be dismantled so the superyacht of Amazon owner Jeff Bezos can pass.
The Koningshavenbrug bridge was built in 1878 and was reconstructed after being bombed by the Nazis in 1940 during World War II.
The luxurious yacht was built for the billionaire by the Dutch company Okeaniko. It is 127 meters long and 40 meters tall. That is why it cannot pass under the bridge. The Koningshaven bridge, locally known as De Hef, will be dismantled in the central part. However, that will be only temporary until the yacht passes through this section.
The move caused dissatisfaction among the citizens. They are angry because the bridge has a long history. The bridge is now a national monument, and a major renovation was done between 2014 and 2017. After that, the officials promised it would never be dismantled again.
However, they are trying to justify the fact that the bridge will be taken apart/ They all agree that the construction of the yacht and work on the bridge opened jobs. The officials say that is important for the community. The yacht has to pass because Jeff will surely not pay for it if it can not go through. The officials already promised to enable the Bezos's yacht to go through and guarantee its passage. Also, they say that the bridge will be rebuilt promptly as soon as the yacht is gone.
There is no other solution
The bridge is located at the only exit to the sea and because of that there is no other option. Also, it was not practical to finish the job of building a yacht at another location.
It is also important for officials of Rotterdam for the city to maintain its reputation as "Europe's maritime capital". Nonetheless, shipbuilding and activities in that sector are an important pillar of society. Of course, we must all agree that $500 million is a lot of money, and that is just the official amount.
The community and many experts are unsettled by the decision to make history so lightly. Also, many are angry because the officials are breaking their promise that the bridge will not be deconstructed again. A local historian, Tom Wesselnik said that the jobs are important, but that there are also limits to what you can do and what you should do with Dutch “industrial heritage”.
But, the money speaks louder
The mayors' office stood by their decision. They argued that even with disassembling the bridge, the yacht is an economically beneficial project for the city. Also, the office said the bridge will be assembled into its original form. The process of dismantling and assembling the bridge will probably be done during the summer.
The yacht known as Y721 will be the largest of its kind in the world, it will be the pinnacle of luxury, It will also have an additional, smaller yacht and a heliport.
