AMELS First to reach new environmental milestone IMO TIER III
AMELS has achieved the final milestone in its 18-month ‘Tier III’ programme, making it the first Dutch yacht builder to slash harmful NOX emissions by almost 80%. This custom engineering project reduces the environmental impact of the new 57.70-metre AMELS 188 superyacht without compromising the very highest AMELS quality and comfort on board.
The luxury yacht builder is the first in the Netherlands to meet ‘Tier III’ levels following main engine tests last week and generator set tests at the end of last year. Under stringent new regulations developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), large new motor yachts over 500 gross tonnes with a global cruising area must drastically reduce the harmful NOX emissions in their engine exhaust gases.
Showing the way forward
Despite industry concerns about the lack of available technology and the tight timeframe, AMELS is proud to be showing the way forward with its new AMELS 188 yacht currently under construction.
“When the IMO clarified the deadline for the Tier III limits, we realised that the industry had no available integrated solution and very limited practical knowhow,” explains AMELS Technical Director Hans van Triet. “So we took the lead to ensure there would be no delays for our clients, no compromise on luxury space, and no compromise on our renowned low levels of noise and vibrations. And I believe we’re doing our part to face up to these technical challenges and reduce the environmental impact of our industry. That can only benefit us all.”
As well as a first for the Netherlands, AMELS understands that it was the first organisation to approach Lloyd’s Register for IMO Tier III certification. AMELS engineered a complete, holistic solution, working together with suppliers to custom engineer components and integrate the MTU 12V4000 M53 diesel engine, HUG Engineering Selective Catalytic Reduction system, silencer and soot filter. The testing took place under independent Lloyd’s Register class supervision at MTU Benelux.
Further development of AMELS 188
The next stage in the AMELS 188 development is testing the design’s highly efficient, fuel- saving technology. The yacht is the first AMELS to feature a Hybrid Power switchboard with peak shaving (battery bank); plus a generator set configuration with AMELS Smart Power Management (SPM) and AMELS Heat Recovery system.
AMELS introduced the innovative 57.70-metre AMELS 188 (970 gross tonnes) at the Monaco Yacht Show 2015. With a preliminary scheduled delivery of Spring 2018, the completely new Limited Editions design has generated plenty of excitement and AMELS is now handling a number of serious enquiries.
