SRC Group has formed a strategic partnership with Energy Transfer to offer shipowners the high-efficiency, fully electric heat pump solutions that cut capital expenditure, operating costs and the financial impact of reducing ship emissions.
Substantially less expensive to buy than other technologies on the market, heat pump systems offer very high thermal efficiency to deliver significantly lower operating costs. The energy they save also cuts CO₂ emissions to reduce compliance- and emissions-related costs.
The partnership combines SRC Group’s maritime engineering and retrofit expertise with Energy Transfer’s thermal management technology, offering a marine heat pump suitable for both newbuild and retrofit projects. The solution replaces oil-fired boilers and conventional chillers with a fully electric system for onboard heating and cooling.
Under the agreement, SRC Group holds exclusive rights for maritime applications of Energy Transfer heat pumps and will be responsible for offering, integrating, and delivering the solutions to shipowners and yards.
“The maritime sector needs solutions that are technically robust, commercially realistic, and ready for deployment today,” said Stefano Pitton, CTO, SRC Group. “This solution enables up to zero-emission heating and cooling during electric operation, while delivering lower upfront cost, major energy savings, and short payback times for shipowners.”
For every 1 kW of electrical input, the system can deliver up to 11 kW of combined thermal output through simultaneous heating and cooling onboard under favourable operating conditions, resulting in a materially lower total cost of ownership compared to competing marine solutions.
The heat pump features a compact, modular, skid-mounted design suitable for space-constrained engine rooms. Each system is custom-built to match the vessel’s thermal demand, onboard layout, and interfaces, including HVAC, hot water, and sanitary systems. Inverter-controlled screw compressors and high-efficiency heat exchangers ensure stable performance across varying load profiles.
“Our heat pump technology is designed to maximize efficiency while minimizing footprint and system complexity,” said Lucia Favaretto, Co-Founder of Energy Transfer. “Partnering with SRC Group provides a direct route to the maritime market, where this solution can deliver immediate energy and cost savings.”
The standard thermal capacity range spans from 200 kW to 3 MW, with larger capacities available on request. A 3 MW installation is already in operation.
For shipowners, the combination of lower capital cost, high energy efficiency, and reduced emissions results in a rapid return on investment, typically under two years.
