Onlooker captures photo of 'Bond villain boat' in water: 'I thought it was a fake rendering'

It looks like something from science fiction, but a superyacht spotted in Dubai is drawing criticism for reasons that are all too real. 

Photos of the bizarre vessel posted to Reddit's r/yachtporn community have sparked a conversation. Many saw its strange, fortress-like design as a symbol of just how disconnected the ultra-rich world is from everyday reality.

The original poster identified the vessel as the M/Y A, a unique ship owned by a Russian billionaire. The photos show a vessel with a smooth, stark white hull that looks more like a submarine or a spaceship than a traditional yacht.

The yacht's strange appearance was the main topic of conversation. But its presence is a reminder of the massive environmental toll that comes with such extreme luxury. The impact is so significant that lifestyle social scientist Gregory Salle has even called the damage caused by superyachts a form of "ecocide". 

According to a report from gCaptain, it's more than just planet-warming pollution. Superyachts create wastewater, noise, and light pollution, and their exhaust contains harmful particulate matter that can damage local environments.

A 2021 study identified these vessels as the single largest source of this pollution for the ultra-rich. To put this in perspective, an Oxfam report estimated it would take an average person 1,500 years to create the same pollution as one of the world's top billionaires does in a single year.

This isn't the first time a superyacht has drawn criticism. 

When a mysterious, unnamed yacht appeared in a harbor in Halifax, Canada, it sparked a similar online stir. Photos of Jeff Bezos's $500 million superyacht also led to outrage. That feeling was amplified by a report which found that Amazon warehouse workers earn 26% less than average. 

Earlier this year, tech billionaire Larry Ellison reportedly had his yacht extended by 26 feet mid-construction just to be bigger than his rival's. It was only after construction finished that he found it was then too large to fit into most marinas.

For many online, the unique design of the M/Y A was just too strange to ignore.

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"Bond villain boat," one Redditor commented.

Another user was in disbelief, writing: "This thing it's nuts! When I first saw it online, I thought it was a fake rendering, but nope it's real".

"It's like someone used a white plastic deck chair as inspiration," a third person joked.

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