Amazon founder’s superyacht sweeps into Auckland Harbour

One of the largest sailing yachts in the world, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, is due to arrive in Auckland this morning.

The Marine Traffic tracker had the vessel in the Hauraki Gulf, travelling south from Warkworth, around 6.20am.

A Port of Auckland spokesperson told the Herald they were not in a position to comment on the whereabouts and plans of the boat, owned by the Amazon founder.

Bezos acquired the three-masted sailing superyacht Koru in 2023, and it is among the largest yachts in the world.

Built in the Netherlands by yacht-building firm Oceanco, it is 127m long and 17m wide and reportedly worth US$500 million ($800m).

Despite its massive size, relatively little is publicly known about Koru’s interior, which has largely remained out of view.

Koru can accommodate up to 18 guests and requires a crew of about 40.

Photographs show a swimming pool on its expansive aft deck.

It also travels with a separate 75m support vessel, Abeona, which carries equipment and tenders and is equipped with a helipad and hangar.

The yacht has a New Zealand connection through its name, Koru, a Māori word associated with new beginnings and continuity.

When the name was revealed in 2023, Māori cultural experts told the Herald they supported its use.

Dame Naida Glavish said at the time the koru represented “no beginning and no end” and was about continuity.

Bezos had earlier posted an image of a koru on Instagram while the yacht was still under construction, alongside a message about “personal growth, renewal [and] rebirth”.

The vessel also became a symbol for protesters critical of Bezos’ immense wealth ahead of his wedding to Lauren Sanchez in Venice in June last year.

Activists protested against the billionaire’s presence in the city and called for higher taxes on the ultra-wealthy.

Greenpeace and British campaign group Everyone Hates Elon [Musk] unfurled a giant banner in St Mark’s Square reading: “If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax.”

Other activists, organised under the banner “No Space for Bezos”, threatened to jump into canals and block water taxis carrying wedding guests.

Greenpeace campaigner Clara Thompson criticised billionaires “partying like there is no tomorrow on their mega-yachts” while calling for changes to international tax rules.

The yacht has also hosted a string of famous faces, with Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, Leonardo DiCaprio and Katy Perry among celebrities reported or photographed aboard.