Iconic filmmaker Steven Spielberg, worth $5.3 billion, is as celebrated for his climate advocacy as he is for his legendary blockbusters like Jaws, E.T., and Jurassic Park. However, much like the twists in his films, an unexpected controversy has surfaced surrounding his superyacht, Seven Seas. Dutch shipbuilder Oceanco, responsible for crafting the $250 million vessel, has come under scrutiny for allegedly using conflict timber in its construction. Delivered in July 2023, Seven Seas is a stunning masterpiece designed by Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design, with interiors curated by Molly Isaksen Interiors.
The yacht, a grand reflection of the filmmaker’s legacy, was named in revelations that shipyard Oceanco used “controversial wood,” sourced from Myanmar, in several high-profile superyachts. Alongside centibillionaire Jeff Bezos’s Koru, the celebrated American filmmaker’s Seven Seas superyacht has been named. According to Quotenet, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) reached a settlement of €150,000 ($158,000) with a Dutch yacht builder, as reported by multiple sources.
Oceanco describes Seven Seas as a “spectacular example of graceful contemporary design that honors natural surroundings.” However, this portrayal neglects the troubling use of “conflict timber,” a term describing teak sourced from Myanmar, where its extraction is linked to deforestation, corruption, and human rights violations. The import of such timber is not only virtually impossible to legalize but has also been banned globally for these reasons.
The tropical wood is dubbed ‘the Rolls-Royce of woods.’ It offers unparalleled strength and natural oil-rich resilience, making it a valuable raw material. Notable features of teak from Myanmar are anti-slip properties and resistance to rot, making it particularly suitable for superyachts. As per the public prosecution service, Oceanco purchased teak for the ships and teak for its finishing from a German timber trader and a Turkish woodworking company without investigating the origin.
The Hollywood legend’s 357-foot luxury vessel, which is longer than two Olympic-sized swimming pools, features four decks entirely made of teak. The diesel-powered, 4,444-ton yacht boasts amenities such as two swimming pools, a movie theater, and a helicopter landing pad at the bow. It accommodates 14 guests across seven suites and is powered by twin MTU 20V 4000 M73L diesel engines, enabling a top speed of 20 knots.
Interestingly, the megayachts Koru and Seven Seas appear to share a connection. Not only have their names surfaced in the Oceanco controversy, but around this time last year, the two yachts were spotted together, docked near each other after extensively cruising the Mediterranean and undergoing maintenance at the La Ciotat shipyard in France.
