Bystander captures striking image of controversial yacht seized by authorities: 'Looks like a giant cheese grater'

While beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, a majority of superyacht aficionados can't help but shake their heads when it comes to Sailing Yacht A. 

As the brainchild of French designer Philippe Starck, Sailing Yacht A is known for its unique design, gargantuan size, and over-the-top features that include its very own three-person submarine.  

While posting to r/sailing, one Redditor offered up a long-distance photo of the estimated $590 million yacht that has long been considered to be a controversial entry into the world of superyachts. 

Although it's unclear how far away the original poster was when they took the picture, the unmistakable look of Sailing Yacht A is hard to miss. "Currently seized by Italian authorities," the Redditor wrote. "At anchor in Trieste." 

In 2022, Italian authorities seized the superyacht from Russian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko. Since then, the vessel has remained under their control. However, the superyacht has been moved to various sea ports over the last few years. 

With a deal signed in 2011 to build the ship, Sailing Yacht A underwent a lengthy construction process before being delivered in 2017. The 469-foot vessel boasts two MTU 3,600-kilowatt diesel engines in tandem with two 4,300-kilowatt electric motors. Due to its massive size, the superyacht is estimated to produce well over 5,000 tons of carbon pollution per year. 

According to a CleanTechnica report, the top 300 superyachts in the world produce nearly 285,000 tons of carbon dioxide pollution every year. As noted by an Oxfam study, the world's wealthiest 1% are "responsible for as much carbon pollution as the people who make up the poorest two-thirds of humanity."

In the comments section, many users couldn't help but take notice of Sailing Yacht A's unique look. 

"Saw that in the harbor of Reykjavik a few years ago," one commenter wrote. "It's the sailboat version of the Cybertruck."

"Looks like a giant cheese grater," added a second user. "That's not a sailboat, it's a luxury yacht / kitchen utensil that happens to have some masts planted on."

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However, not every commenter saw the vessel in a poor light. One Redditor offered their optimistic take on the aesthetic of the superyacht. "If you stop thinking of it as a sailing ship, it's actually a really cool looking piece of architecture," they wrote. "It's just even cooler that it sails. It's even cooler from different angles and up close."

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