Five years ago, it was the first shipyard in Europe to introduce IPS propulsion on boats over 90 feet in length. Five years later, Amer Yachts is preparing to build the first superyacht with a hull in completely recyclable material. And given the enormous success of the Inboard Performance System, we have reason to believe that the society, part of the Permare Group, will lead the way in the construction of eco-friendly boats, destined to become the future of recreational boating.
Since last year, the Amerio family’s company, which is decisively turning towards sustainability, has progressively reduced the use of fiberglass, preferring the use in the production process of Filava, a composite element consisting of a mineral fiber of volcanic origin, based on enriched basalt, 100% recyclable and capable of replacing fiberglass.
“Filava – Amer Yachts CEO & Sustainability Director Barbara Amerio explains – offers two advantages: the first is recyclability, the second is manageability. This fiber, in fact, is easier to use and has a significantly lower environmental impact than fiberglass”.
The first step of this eco-sustainable revolution promoted by the Italian shipyard is represented by the dashboard of the new F100, entirely made of Filava and installed to verify the actual reaction of the material to on-board stresses and external elements as well as the capacity to keep all its physical and mechanical features intact. In these days, with the supervision of Rina, the Enea certification tests will be disclosed. These results are eagerly awaited and there is great curiosity around them.
Filava experimentation, of course, went beyond the dashboard and continued with the mold of a stern section, part of a complete hull project designed by Massimo Verme, which was presented in the form of a mockup at the 60th Genoa Boat Show and which will join the 2021 Solar and Energy Challenge organized by the Monaco Yacht Club. The model exhibited in Genoa will be disposed of in order to recover the Filava raw material, which will be subsequently recycled in virgin fiber and implemented in the on-board equipment of the new Amer 120, whose launched is scheduled to take place next spring.
Amer Yachts’ hull in recyclable fiber “flies” with DeepSpeed
But there’s more. Thanks to the collaboration of Sealence, the eco-project of Amer Yachts also makes use of Deepspeed, the first electric hydro-jet outboard where the engine and the propulsion system are integrated with direct operation in the water in order to minimize the disturbance caused to the marine habitat through a drastic reduction of polluting and noise emissions, while maintaining the performance of classic engines.
“Introducing a mini-reactor typical of aerospace engineeing into yachting is an absolutely innovative choice which, I’m sure, will prove to be successful – Barbara Amerio says – Deepspeed is moving towards a more industrial production. We’re testing a prototype”.
In addition to Massimo Verme and Sealence, this “super featuring” has seen the collaboration of two other partners: GS4C, which supports Amer Yachts’ project from a technical point of view, and Diab, which has supplied the mockup material, including those characteristics of disposal in compliance with the parameters of the circular life of sustainable material.”
” Our encounter with Cristiana Talon and Enrico Benco of GS4C, two researchers who worked for the America’s Cup and who introduced us to the Filava fiber, was decisive in the economy of the project – declares Barbara Amerio – I thank our designer Massimo Verme and Diab, which will provide us with the sustainable coupling material to make the boat not only recyclable but also performing. It is an expensive research, in fact we are investing a lot in this project, but we believe in it because we want to be the precursors of boats that respect the environment ”.
