Packed with idyllic vineyards, cliffside lemon groves, and a jaw-dropping shoreline, Italy's Amalfi Coast is one of the Mediterranean's most scenic spots.
It's also a favorite destination for billionaires to relax aboard their superyachts, as highlighted by one Reddit user in July.
One user posted several photos of the Lionheart — a 90-meter-long vessel that, according to the Financial Times, is owned by British businessman Philip Green. Another user commented: "Saw it off Amalfi Coast last week.
The diesel-powered yacht boasts three lifts, a helipad, a hot tub, and a swimming pool, according to Luxury Launches, which also reported that it cost the mogul $150 million.
That luxury comes at an environmental cost. The world's top 300 superyachts produce about 285,000 tons of carbon annually, according to Clean Technica. They have been labeled "ecocide" by some environmentalists, Bloomberg reported.
Green was once a high-street retail tycoon, but his Arcadia Group — which owned brands including Topshop and Dorothy Perkins — collapsed into administration in 2020. Thousands of staff lost their jobs, and suppliers and landlords suffered heavy losses, The Standard reported.
Perhaps that is why Reddit users on the thread had some choice words for Green.
The Lionheart was last spotted at the Monaco Grand Prix, alongside two even larger yachts, Symphony and Kismet. At 400 feet, Kismet — owned by NFL team owner Shad Khan — reportedly costs about $30 million a year to operate. Lionheart, the oldest of the three, is just 10 years old.
Some companies, such as Silent-Yachts, are working to make superyachts less polluting. The business offers a wide range of solar yachts, as well as a solar speedboat, a tender, and a hybrid model yacht.
But regular superyacht sales surged 75% from 2020 to 2021, according to the Guardian. According to industry data, there are more than 9,300 on the seas worth a total in excess of £50 billion ($67.8 billion), the newspaper reported. For now, it appears the carbon-heavy vessels are only becoming more common.
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