65m Exploration Yacht — Full Refrigeration Overhaul

A 65-metre exploration yacht running extended North Atlantic passages, including areas where ambient temperatures push galley refrigeration systems hard and shore-based service isn't available for weeks at a time. The existing cooling infrastructure was underperforming and consuming far more energy than it should.

The scope was a complete replacement of all galley refrigeration and freezer systems, plus the central compressor group and all associated pipework. We specified three Foster EP700H vertical refrigerators and two Foster PROG600H deep-freeze units — all commercial-grade, all serviceable in any major port worldwide.

The central compressor is a Bitzer unit configured for seawater cooling. Seawater cooling keeps the compressor running efficiently regardless of ambient air temperature, which is the key advantage for a vessel operating in tropical and subtropical waters. The system runs on R290 — a natural hydrocarbon refrigerant with zero ozone depletion potential and very low global warming impact compared to synthetic alternatives.

The complete installation, including removal of all old equipment and full recommissioning, was done in 10 days. Energy consumption dropped 42% compared to the previous system, while total cooling capacity increased by 35% — more food storage for longer passages, at lower running cost.