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Jeff Bezos’s yacht, Koru, in Portofino, Italy in 2023.Photo: Robino Salvatore/GC Images/Getty Images
He enjoys the typical trappings of the billionaire lifestyle, including an expansive real estate portfolio, luxury cars, and a fleet of private jets. But Jeff Bezos’s yacht, in particular, seems to hold a special place in the entrepreneur’s heart—after all, it is where he proposed to his soon-to-be wife, Lauren Sánchez, and it reportedly may play a role in the couple’s upcoming wedding in Venice. The ultra-luxurious vessel is currently the world’s largest sailing yacht, according to Boat International, and it is filled with luxe amenities befitting one of the world’s richest men. Read on to find out everything you need to know about Jeff Bezos’s yacht, Koru.
When did Jeff Bezos buy Koru?
According to the Robb Report, the superyacht was reportedly first commissioned in 2018. It features an exterior design by Dutch firm Dykstra Naval Architects, and naval architecture by Dykstra Naval Architects and Lateral Naval Architects. Yacht builder Oceanco—who has completed superyachts owned by clients such as filmmaker Steven Spielberg, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and Home Depot cofounder Arthur Blank—constructed the megayacht in its shipyard in Alblasserdam, Netherlands. Controversy broke out during the construction of the yacht when the Dutch press reported that Rotterdam’s historic Koningshaven Bridge, also known as De Hef, might have to be temporarily dismantled in order to let the ship through. Instead, the ship was transported from the Oceanco shipyard without its masts so that the then 98-year-old monument would remain intact. The three-masted schooner was delivered to Mallorca in 2023.
How much did Koru cost?
While the exact price of the founder of Amazon’s luxury yacht is unknown, Robb Report estimates that Koru cost around $500 million, and its support vessel, the Abeona, cost an additional $75 million. Given that Bezos has a net worth of over $200 billion, the estimated $30 million yearly operating costs for both vessels seem like a small expense.
How big is Jeff Bezos’s yacht?
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Koru docked in Florida in 2023Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Koru measures 417 feet long, currently making it the world’s largest sailing yacht, surpassing the previous record holder, the 350-foot-long Black Pearl. (Another vessel, the Philippe Starck–designed Sailing Yacht A, comes in at 469 feet, but is classified as a sail-assisted motor yacht.) The beam, or width of Koru, is 56 feet, and its gross tonnage, or the measure of the ship’s overall internal volume, is 3493 GT. The ship’s masts reportedly measure more than 230 feet.
What does the name Koru mean?
Known previously as Y721 while under construction, the finished yacht was named Koru by the Blue Origin owner. The name is derived from the Māori language and means “loop” or “coil.” The motif is said to be inspired by an unfurling silver fern frond and is a symbol of new beginnings. Bezos apparently named Koru’s support vessel Abeona after the Roman goddess of journeys.
What are the features of Jeff Bezos’s yacht, Koru?
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Koru (left) and AbeonaPhoto: Robino Salvatore/GC Images/Getty Images
Bezos’s superyacht has a classical style, with a navy-blue steel hull and a two-level white aluminum superstructure. The ship’s teak decks include spots for outdoor lounging as well as three Jacuzzis and a swimming pool. Robb Report notes that the hull features traditional portholes, while the upper deck windows are smaller than typical, which might help to foil paparazzi trying to capture guests inside.
The yacht’s interior design was done by Mlinaric, Henry & Zervudachi, and Oceanco describes the interiors as having “a timeless, contemporary style with natural wood tones complemented by a palette of warm neutrals and beautifully patterned textiles.” According to Boat International, the sailing yacht’s nine staterooms can accommodate 18 guests.
Robert B. MacKay, author of The Golden Age of Newport Yachting: Between the Wars, told The New York Times that the design harkens back to yachts of the early 20th century. “With the clipper bow and the dark hull and the masts, it reminds me of a boat built in 1930 for J.P. Morgan Jr., Corsair IV,” MacKay told the Times. “It is almost like a reincarnation. It’s certainly at odds with the stuff the oligarchs are building—those look like bloated Clorox bottles.”
What inspired Koru’s design?
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Koru sailing in Spain in 2023Photo: picture alliance/Getty Images
While many billionaires opt for massive motor yachts, Bezos chose to follow the lead of his friends IAG chairman Barry Diller and his wife, designer Diane Von Furstenberg. According to The New Yorker, Bezos partly modeled his yacht on one owned by Diller (presumably the 305-foot-long sailing yacht Eos), and even hired one of Diller’s captains for Koru. The New York Times noted that Bezos was spotted vacationing on Eos, a three-masted Bermuda-rigged schooner, in 2019.
However, Bezos did not copy Diller when it came to the design of the ship’s figurehead. Eos features a figurehead of Von Fursenberg sculpted by artist Anh Duong, and when Koru was unveiled, it was rumored that its figurehead was inspired by Sánchez. However, Sánchez squashed the rumor in a 2023 interview with Vogue. “I’m very flattered, but it’s not,” she told the magazine, explaining that the figurehead is actually Freyja, the Norse goddess of love, fertility, and gold.
What does the support vessel do?
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Abeona in Portofino, Italy, in 2023Photo: Robino Salvatore/GC Images/Getty Images
While Koru has plenty of amenities, it doesn’t have room for everything, which is where its grey-hulled support vessel, Abeona, comes in. Originally known by the project names YS 7512 and Wingman, the 246-foot-long motor yacht was designed and built by Damen Yachting in the Netherlands, and it was delivered in 2023. Abeona is equipped with a helipad and a hangar. Sánchez, a licensed helicopter pilot, has been seen landing a helicopter on the Abeona and then taking a launch to Koru. The shadow vessel can accommodate four additional guests in two staterooms and up to 37 crew members and staff. Abeona also stores tenders and water toys.
Where does Jeff Bezos sail Koru?
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Sánchez and Bezos aboard Koru in 2023Photo: MEGA / Getty Images
Since acquiring Koru in 2023, Bezos has been spotted enjoying the yacht in quite a few global hot spots. The superyacht, which sails under the Cayman Islands flag, has sailed through the Balearic Islands and throughout the Mediterranean, including Spain and the South of France for the Cannes Film Festival. In August 2023, Bezos and Sánchez celebrated their engagement on Koru, hosting an engagement party off the coast of Positano, Italy, reportedly attended by A-List guests such as Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, Queen Rania of Jordan, and Wendi Murdoch. Koru has also made its way to the United States, docking at Port Everglades, Florida. Last December, Koru docked in St. Barts, where the couple celebrated New Year’s Eve.
How fast is Koru?
In addition to kinetic power generated by its sails, Koru has two MTU diesel engines. According to Boat International, it and can travel at a top speed of 17 knots (or 19.5 mph). Its cruising speed is 15 knots, which is 2.25 knots above the average for similar sailing yachts. Koru’s support vessel has a top speed of 18 knots (or 20.7 mph), and The New York Times noted in 2023 that Abeona would have enough range to follow Koru from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean on a single tank of gas.