As the most luxurious vessels in the world, superyachts often represent the best that many different industries have to offer. Everything from the exterior to the internal subsystems is bespoke and expertly designed and manufactured to the highest standards.

Maintaining every single system in a superyacht is a challenge. Ensuring that everything goes off without a hitch is top priority for crew and management. After all, owners and guests wish to enjoy their trips without any interference.

When you are enjoying the sun and the rare cool breeze of summer air, the last thing on your mind is waste treatment. Waste management is one of the systems that no one ever thinks about if it works correctly. If it doesn’t, however, it can cause a huge disruption.

Entering the superyacht industry

Today, AFECO is the top specialist in biological waste treatments in the superyacht industry. However, the company started out in land-based applications. AFECO’s team is comprised of process, mechanical, and electrical experts who offer their expertise in wastewater and waste treatment. 

The company has managed to develop a deep understanding of the superyacht sector and Abi Field, co-owner and chartered engineer, has been a big part of that. Her networking in Amsterdam’s Metstrade Show and the decision to become a member of British Marine were crucial points in the company’s foray into the superyacht industry, though their actual entrance was also very interesting.

In fact, it was only by chance that AFECO received a call one day, asking them to support a warranty claim for a 70-meter superyacht as its sewage system was malfunctioning. Thankfully, the company’s expertise in wastewater and waste treatment proved highly beneficial to the superyacht sector as well. 

After servicing the system, recommissioning it, and offering some advice for the future, AFECO was hired by the superyacht’s builder as consultants on the wastewater systems of subsequent superyacht launches. 

Going forward in the superyacht industry

Since then, the company has grown a considerable network in the industry. Moreover, they have built four distinct packages specifically designed for the challenges, issues, and intricacies of the superyacht industry.

The first stage of superyacht wastewater management

For their first package, AFECO focuses on risk management. The bespoke treatment systems for wastewater found in superyachts are commonly designed to fit the layout of the vessels themselves. However, this can result in installation inconsistencies which can in turn lead to additional process issues.

In addition to that, superyacht systems are slowly but steadily becoming much more complex, owing in part to stricter rules in effluent consents. In the end, there is a risk that both new builds and retrofits will result in lost time and high costs in order to solve potential issues. 

With this package, AFECO delivers detailed assessments, experienced advice, commissioning support, process performance analytical testing, full reporting, and training for engineers who may not be familiar with advanced systems. As such, the company can deliver a package that ensures the wastewater system on superyachts is tried and tested before they even hit the water. 

Optimising Superyacht Systems

As AFECO’s very first experience with superyachts showed them, some vessels have subpar wastewater treatment systems that either result in many issues or do not perform to a high standard to meet the required MARPOL consent requirements

In these cases, the company offers a waste system optimisation package tailored specifically to existing vessels. Their approach includes identifying and resolving any potential issues as well as providing their expert support in warranty resolutions. 

Providing Expert Training

Superyachts are often faced with the issue of a high turnover for the crew. Even though an owner or management company might invest into a crew member in order to equip them with several desirable skills, there is no guarantee that they will stay on board in the long term.

Because of that, providing constant training and keeping new members up-to-date is crucial to the optimal performance of a superyacht. Those unfamiliar with the internal workings of superyachts or of a specific vessel might make rookie mistakes that are costly or time-consuming to fix. 

AFECO’s training and support package aims to fix that by providing ongoing, regular and consistent support and training for crew members. The package includes vessel-specific training for all crew members, updates for new crew, a phone support service for engineers, and a bi-annual process health check of the related waste systems. 

Peace of mind before a purchase

Since a superyacht is a huge investment, there are several pre-purchase checks that must be conducted to ensure the vessel’s health and safety. For its part, AFECO offers a pre-purchase survey package that allows the owner or management to have peace of mind when it comes to the wastewater treatment systems on board.

With this package, AFECO performs a full, independent survey of the systems which includes various performance analytical tests and assessments. Afterwards, the status of the system is detailed in a report, along with any potential works required to ensure compliance. 

For more information visit AFECO