Amels 80, the Limited Editions Flagship
Described by her builders as “a milestone in superyacht evolution”, they further assert: “Evolution is not just about change; it is about perfecting what defines us. The Amels 80 is the result of deep-rooted expertise, blending time-honoured traditions with modern innovation”.
Exterior design of both the Amels 60 and Amels 80 is by one of the world’s most sought-after stylists, Norwegian Espen Øino, who calls the Amels 80 “a significant step forward in yacht design. It is a harmonious blend of form and function, designed to offer an exceptional experience on the water with refined elegance”.
Fittingly, this first sale was handled by Burgess, an industry leader since the 1970s, just six months after the introduction of the new design in 2022. Note that after her launch and sea trials, delivery is taking place in July 2025, a remarkable build period for an 80m vessel, made possible by the Amels Limited Editions concept.
Interiors are by Amels and internationally-known Sinot Yacht Architecture and Design. Says their Paul Costerus: “This is the first collaboration between Sinot and Amels. The project provided us with the opportunity to develop something truly unique. You will feel at home from the moment you step on board.”
Essentially, the Amels 80 offers a sundeck, beach club, 6.5m swimming pool, owner’s deck, seven suites, helipad, tenders and hybrid propulsion.
The latter, notes Amels parent Damen Yachting, “enables reduced emissions, quieter operations and greater cruising efficiency. This is yachting with a conscience, combining the best of proven technology and forward-looking innovations that will endure into the future”.
The beach club comes with spa, sauna, gym, hammam and massage room, underscoring a focus on wellness and relaxation. Supported by a crew of 21, the vessel has a gross tonnage of 2,175GT, and “has been built to venture across oceans, inspire generations and withstand the tests of time”.
In Yacht Style’s annual feature Top 100 Superyachts of Indo-Asia-Pacific, Amels Limited Editions and Amels Full Custom Yachts, together with Damen Yachting’s luxury Xplorer yachts and Yacht Support vessels, have been the most prolific for the last three editions, indicating a propensity for varied-but-safe voyaging in these far-flung waters.
So far, four Amels 80s have been sold, and two more will be delivered in 2026. Seven Amels 60s have also been purchased since the new wave of Øino designs were released, the last one also due for delivery this year. Other recent launches and deliveries include a large refit just announced, an Xplorer 60 and a Yacht Support 53.
Damen Yachting and Amels are located at Vlissingen, on the North Sea Coast near the Dutch-Belgian border.
The Amels Limited Editions idea was launched at Monaco in 2005. In the construction of superyachts, two years is needed for naval architecture, exterior design, hull construction and all the fittings and fixtures, cables and conduits, that go into the finished product. Then custom features take another two years.
What if, speculated the Amels people, a client could buy his or her superyacht with only two years to go? Damen Shipping, an international maritime conglomerate which owns both Damen Yachting and Amels, has annual revenues of about USD 2.5 billion, and could finance such construction.
This used to be called “building on spec”, but now a whole new contractual premise was possible, in which the owner came in at the custom stage, waited only half as long for delivery, and enjoyed savings through sharing some design and build costs with others.
Briton Tim Heywood was chosen as the exterior designer, and Laura Sessa did many of the interiors, although owners could employ whoever they wanted, and did so. A few also asked Heywood to tweak his exteriors here and there, so that although technically identical, various Amels Limited Editions of the same LOA have noticeably different profiles.
LOAs ranged from 177-272ft, or 54-83m, with nearly a dozen lengths in between. Most popular was the 55m or 180ft model, of which an astonishing 25 were sold. Many of them have plied Asia-Pacific waters. Amels Limited Editions was obviously a runaway success.
Although the focus has now shifted to the Øino-designed Amels 60 and Amels 80, Damen Yachting Marketing Director Sarah Flavell tells us that Heywood Amels 200s or 220s, for example, can still be built, but not within the Limited Editions format, which has moved on.
Rose Damen, Managing Director of Damen Yachting, sums up: “With the launch of the first Amels 80, we have reached another landmark achievement in the history of Amels. I would like to thank our client and the team at Burgess for entrusting us with this very special build. We are honoured and excited to see the final phase through to delivery.”
This article was first seen on YachtStyle.com.
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