A 289-foot superyacht turned Seattle's Ballard Locks into a spectator stop this week, with onlookers gathering along the railings as it squeezed through the narrow waterway, as GeekWire reported.
Some people watched for the shiphandling alone, while others saw the transit as a vivid display of extreme wealth, per the outlet.
What happened?
GeekWire reported that the superyacht Zen moved through Seattle's Ballard Locks on Tuesday, June 23, before continuing to Puget Sound.
Its reported owner is Chinese billionaire Wu Guangming, the founder of Jiangsu Yuyue Medical Equipment and Supply, and the vessel was listed as bound for Alaska, per the outlet.
In a video published to GeekWire's YouTube page (@Geekwire), the yacht appeared to make the passage carefully, while roughly a dozen crew members in matching white shirts and black shorts worked the lines and fenders.
The vessel was also shown flying a Cayman Islands flag, with George Town listed as its port of registry, according to GeekWire.
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The sighting followed another notable superyacht visit to Seattle. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's Launchpad went through the same locks in late May, prompting some heckling as it occurred at the same time as a number of layoffs.
As GeekWire noted, Dutch shipbuilder Feadship built both vessels.
Why does it matter?
Superyachts have long drawn criticism for their outsized climate footprint. They are considered among the most polluting possessions of billionaires, alongside private jets.
Powering a nearly-300-foot yacht that can host 16 guests and 25 crew members, according to SuperYachtFan, is no small feat. There's no doubt that a lot of diesel fuel and associated pollution are involved in its operation.
For most onlookers, superyachts like Zen are mostly something to gawk at, but the pollution from the wealthiest billionaires has implications for the planet.
While the more famous billionaires like Zuckerberg or Jeff Bezos get more notoriety and backlash for their megayachts, the environmental consequences are the same, no matter who owns the boats.
What are people saying?
One U.S. Army Corps of Engineers worker commented, "'tis the season," when asked by GeekWire about the seeming influx of superyachts to Seattle.
Among those who paused during a bike ride was Matt Sunday, a director of engineering at Boeing, who characterized the vessel as a "$200 million toy" to the outlet.
One commenter on the video was unimpressed by its appearance.
"Cheese box," they assessed its design. "Unique."
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