Many megayacht and super yacht captains are concerned with the environmental footprint left by their vessels and with current regulations in place; they can’t afford to not be. Possibly the most far-reaching step toward protecting the waters is to keep oil out of the discharge. This can be accomplished with Arid Bilge Systems’ new Green Yacht System.
Arid Bilge Systems Logo
This system utilizes seven basic components, which work together to divert water from the overboard discharge and send it to a gray water tank or back to the bilge, if it reaches 15 PPM or more. The end result is a dry bilge and verification of a clean discharge.
The first component in the Green Yacht System is the Arid Bilge, a dry bilge vacuum system that removes water from up to nine separate compartments and discharges it from the central unit at a controlled flow rate up to 17 GPH. Three different models of Arid Bilge Systems are available.
The second component is the Eco Friendly Discharge Companion II, a coalesce-type, three chamber oily water separator. It captures the bulk of the hydrocarbons commonly found in bilge water. The oil floats at the top of the central chamber and is viewable through a sight-glass window. The standard version has a lift lid for easy removal of the accumulated oils. This gravity-feed unit has no moving parts and is easy to maintain.
Arid Bilges' Eco Friendly Discharge Companion 2
A simple sump is the third component in the Green Yacht System. Because the Eco Friendly Discharge Companion is a gravity-feed unit, this sump is needed to collect the flow and propel it through the cartridges.
Then, the bilge water moves through the fourth component, a pair of Mycelx polishing cartridges. This step lowers the PPM level further to assure a level discharge.
The fifth component is the flow stabilizer. This component assures a stable flow, since small bubbles and high flow can falsely trigger the Deckma Hamburg Oil Monitoring Device.
The Deckma Hamburg Oil Monitoring Device is electrically connected to the alarm and control box. This device is approved by the US Coast Guard as oil pollution prevention equipment. It has been tested in accordance with IMO Resolution MEPC.107(49). Pre-wired to the control and alarm box, if power is turned off to the control box, the device would also turn off, resulting in overboard discharge shutdown. The Oil Monitoring Device can be programmed for the Canadian 5 PPM mandate while travelling through the Great Lakes.
The final component is a Y-valve or overboard discharge sump. It’s spring-loaded to automatically divert the flow back to the bilge or a gray-water tank in the event of a power failure or alarm condition. When a sump is installed, it receives its power from the alarm and control box. In the event of an alarm or power failure, the sump stops running and will eventually overflow back to the bilge, preventing a discharge above the 15 PPM mandated level.
The Green Yacht System is installed on the 2010 M/Y Cortina of Newcastle Shipyards. The ship’s captain, Nick Murphy, appreciates how the system enables the volume and type of oil leaked to be observed.
“It’s instrumental to keep watch over the bilge and potential leaks and it helps detect problems early,” said Captain Nick. “The system is space-saving, flexible and it keeps the bilges dry. Arid Bilge’s Green Yacht System is a great alternative to other unreliable methods of keeping oil out of the discharge.”
Finding an oil stain in a dry bilge makes it a breeze to locate and fix the source of that leak. In the long run, the yacht becomes more reliable, and smaller repairs are made sooner before more serious damage is done. The Green Yacht System is helpful to both yacht owners and the environment.
