Introduction
The Jeff Bezos yacht is not a single vessel but a two-ship fleet: the 127-metre sailing yacht Koru and its 75-metre support vessel, Abeona. Bezos commissioned Koru from Dutch builder Oceanco in 2018, took delivery in April 2023, and has used it as a backdrop for major personal milestones, including his engagement and wedding festivities with Lauren Sánchez. The yacht is estimated to have cost $500 million, with annual operating costs for the pair reported at around $30 million. Interest in the Jeff Bezos yacht intensified in 2026 after reports claimed he was selling Koru because it attracted too much attention, but a subsequent exclusive report stated he had no intention of selling.
What Is the Koru?
Koru is a three-masted, schooner-rigged sailing yacht built by Oceanco in the Netherlands. It is 127 metres (417 feet) long with a beam of approximately 17 metres and a gross tonnage of around 3,300 GT. At the time of its launch, it was the largest Dutch-built superyacht and one of the largest sailing yachts in the world. The name Koru comes from the Māori language, referring to a loop or coil symbol associated with new beginnings, personal growth, and continuity.
The yacht accommodates up to 18 guests across nine staterooms and requires a crew of roughly 36 to 40. Its exterior design was handled by Dykstra Naval Architects, with naval architecture by Lateral Naval Architects and Dykstra, and interiors by London-based Mlinaric, Henry & Zervudachi. The interior has largely remained out of public view, but reports describe a contemporary style with wood tones and neutral colours.
Koru Key Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Length | 127 m (417 ft) |
| Beam | Approx. 17 m |
| Gross tonnage | Approx. 3,300–3,493 GT |
| Builder | Oceanco (Netherlands) |
| Yard number | Y721 |
| Launched | August 2022 |
| Delivered | April 2023 |
| Guest capacity | 18 guests |
| Crew | Approx. 36–40 |
| Estimated cost | $500 million |
| Support vessel | Abeona (75 m) |
Sources: Wikipedia, SuperYacht Times, NZ Herald, Business Insider.
The Abeona: The Support Vessel That Completes the Fleet
Koru’s towering masts left no room for a helipad on the main yacht, so Bezos commissioned a separate support vessel, Abeona. Built by Damen Yachting, Abeona is approximately 75 metres (246 feet) long and is valued at around $75 million. It carries a helicopter hangar capable of holding an Airbus ACH-135, along with tenders, water toys, and additional crew accommodation for up to 45 people.
The helipad on Abeona has a practical personal dimension: Lauren Sánchez is a helicopter pilot, and the support vessel allows her to fly in and out while the couple cruises. The two vessels together are reported to cost approximately $30 million per year to operate.
Koru vs. Abeona at a Glance
| Feature | Koru (main yacht) | Abeona (support vessel) |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 127 m (417 ft) | Approx. 75 m (246 ft) |
| Type | Three-masted sailing yacht | Yacht support vessel |
| Builder | Oceanco | Damen Yachting |
| Estimated value | $500 million | $75 million |
| Helipad | No (sails preclude it) | Yes, with hangar |
| Guest/crew capacity | 18 guests; 36–40 crew | Accommodates up to 45 crew/support staff |
| Primary role | Owner and guest cruising | Tenders, helicopter, equipment, overflow crew |
How Much Does the Jeff Bezos Yacht Cost?
The purchase price of Koru is widely reported at $500 million, with Abeona adding roughly $75 million to the fleet’s capital cost. Operating the two vessels together is estimated at $30 million annually, covering crew, fuel, maintenance, insurance, and port fees. For context, that yearly running cost alone is comparable to the price of a substantial new superyacht.
The financial scale reflects the complexity of a sailing yacht of Koru’s size. Three masts thought to measure between 65 and 85 metres, a hybrid power system with battery banks, and an experimental energy-recovery system that converts wave motion into electrical energy all contribute to construction and upkeep costs.
Luxury Features and Design Details
Despite limited public access to the interior, several features of the Jeff Bezos yacht have been confirmed or reliably reported:
- Glass-bottom pool and three spa pools/jacuzzis on deck.
- A wooden mermaid sculpture at the bow, which Sánchez clarified represents the Norse goddess Freyja, not herself.
- Water cannons mounted on the vessel’s side for anti-piracy defence, according to a source cited by Page Six.
- Privacy-oriented design: smaller upper-deck windows and traditional portholes are speculated to hinder paparazzi photography.
- Hybrid propulsion and energy recovery, positioning Koru as a testbed for more sustainable superyacht technology.
The yacht has hosted a roster of high-profile guests. Bill Gates, Whitney Wolfe Herd, and Ari Emanuel attended an engagement party aboard in 2023, while Katy Perry, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Kim Kardashian have been photographed near the vessel. Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, and others have also been reported aboard.
The 2026 Sale Rumor: What Was Reported and What Is Confirmed
In early May 2026, multiple outlets reported that Bezos was selling Koru. The Telegraph, citing the New York Post, reported that Bezos felt the 417-foot vessel was “too recognisable” and had soured on the £22 million-a-year maintenance cost. The reports framed the yacht as a symbol of excess and suggested its size attracted unwanted scrutiny.
However, the sale story was contested almost immediately. PEOPLE published an exclusive report stating that the rumors were untrue and that Bezos was not selling the yacht. The conflicting reports leave the vessel’s ownership status as a matter of unconfirmed speculation rather than settled fact. What is confirmed is that Koru remained in active use: it was tracked in Cairns, Australia, in August 2026 and arrived in Auckland, New Zealand, in September 2026.
Readers should treat the sale claim as reported but unverified, and the denial as an equally reported counter-claim. No official statement from Bezos or Oceanco confirming a sale has been made public.
Timeline: From Commission to Global Headlines
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Bezos reportedly commissions the yacht (then known as Project Y721) from Oceanco. |
| 2021 | Construction begins in the Netherlands. |
| August 2022 | Koru is launched at Oceanco’s Alblasserdam facility. |
| 2022 | Rotterdam controversy: a plan to dismantle the historic De Hef bridge for the yacht’s passage is withdrawn after public backlash; masts are stepped downstream instead. |
| April 2023 | Delivery to Bezos; maiden voyage from the Netherlands to Gibraltar. |
| 2023 | Bezos proposes to Lauren Sánchez aboard Koru; engagement party hosted on the yacht. |
| June 2025 | Koru plays a central role in Bezos and Sánchez’s Venice wedding festivities, including a pre-wedding foam party. |
| May 2026 | Reports emerge that Bezos is selling Koru; PEOPLE reports the sale rumors are untrue. |
| August 2026 | Koru is tracked in Cairns, Australia. |
| September 2026 | Koru arrives in Auckland, New Zealand, drawing public attention. |
Public Reaction and Controversy
The Jeff Bezos yacht has never been far from public debate. The Rotterdam bridge episode in 2022 became a flashpoint: when Oceanco sought permission to temporarily dismantle the 95-year-old Koningshaven Bridge (De Hef) so Koru could pass, residents threatened to pelt the vessel with rotten eggs, and the plan was abandoned. In Venice in 2025, activists protested Bezos’s wedding festivities, with Greenpeace and other groups arguing that billionaires should pay higher taxes rather than “party like there is no tomorrow” on mega-yachts.
The yacht’s size has also created logistical friction. In 2023, Koru was reportedly too large to dock in the Florida Everglades and had to moor at a less glamorous port alongside commercial vessels. These episodes illustrate a recurring theme: the vessel’s scale is both its defining feature and a source of operational and public-relations challenges.
Expert Perspective: What Koru Signals About Superyacht Design
Industry observers have generally praised Koru as a technical and aesthetic achievement. Federico Rossi, COO of luxury yacht builder Rossinavi, told Business Insider in 2024 that the yacht is “absolutely beautiful”. From a naval architecture standpoint, Koru represents a rare attempt to combine true sailing capability at the 127-metre scale with modern energy-recovery and hybrid propulsion systems—a combination that few sailing yachts of comparable size have attempted.
The support-vessel model exemplified by Abeona is also becoming more common in the superyacht world. By offloading helicopter operations, tender storage, and overflow crew to a separate vessel, owners can preserve the sailing yacht’s lines and deck space while retaining full logistical capability. Koru and Abeona are an early and highly visible example of this two-ship strategy at the largest end of the market.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Jeff Bezos’s yacht cost?
Koru is estimated to have cost $500 million, with the Abeona support vessel adding approximately $75 million. Annual operating costs for the two vessels together are reported at around $30 million.
What is the Jeff Bezos yacht called?
The main yacht is Koru, named after the Māori word for a loop or coil, symbolising new beginnings. Its support vessel is called Abeona.
Is Jeff Bezos selling his yacht?
Reports in May 2026 claimed Bezos was selling Koru, but a subsequent PEOPLE exclusive stated that the rumors were untrue and that he was not selling the vessel. No official confirmation of a sale has been made public.
How long is the Jeff Bezos yacht?
Koru is 127 metres (417 feet) long, making it one of the largest sailing yachts in the world.
Why does Jeff Bezos have a separate support vessel?
The Abeona carries a helipad and helicopter hangar, tenders, water toys, and additional crew. Because Koru’s tall masts leave no space for a helipad on the main yacht, the support vessel provides that capability—and allows Lauren Sánchez, a helicopter pilot, to fly to and from the yacht.
Who has been on Jeff Bezos’s yacht?
Reported and photographed guests include Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, Katy Perry, Kim Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey, and Gayle King, among others. The yacht also hosted Bezos and Sánchez’s engagement party and pre-wedding festivities.
Conclusion
The Jeff Bezos Yacht is best understood as a two-vessel fleet: the record-breaking sailing yacht Koru and its indispensable support ship Abeona. With an estimated capital cost of $575 million across the pair and annual running costs around $30 million, it is one of the most ambitious private maritime projects of the decade. The 2026 sale rumors remain unresolved in the public record—reported by some outlets and denied by others—but what is certain is that the Jeff Bezos yacht continues to cruise, attract attention, and provoke debate about wealth, design, and visibility at sea.
For anyone tracking superyacht trends, Koru and Abeona offer a clear case study in how the world’s largest sailing yachts are built, operated, and crewed—and why their scale makes them impossible to ignore.
