A yacht at berth still needs power: air conditioning, galley, lighting, navigation systems, pumps. If the port’s grid does not match the vessel’s, the usual answer is to keep the diesel generator running, with its noise, fumes, vibration and maintenance hours.
The problem is rarely that there is no socket on the quay. It is that the port grid and the vessel grid do not speak the same language: 50 Hz in Europe and 60 Hz on many yachts built for the American market, different voltages, low-capacity connections. We explain it in 50 Hz ashore, 60 Hz aboard.
What SHP-X is
SHP-X is a universal shore power converter installed on board. It takes power from the port grid, whatever it is, and adapts it to the voltage and frequency of the vessel’s main switchboard. The yacht switches off its generator and runs on shore power.
What sets it apart:
- Universal. One unit for any marina in the world, 50 or 60 Hz, with galvanic isolation that protects the vessel and prevents electrolytic hull corrosion.
- Sync and bypass. Transfers from generator to shore power with no interruption. When both grids match in frequency and phase, the electronics step aside: lower losses and longer life.
- Modular. Power stages that fit through a hatch. Designed for refit, without opening the hull.
- Onboard energy hub. Manages shore power, solar, batteries and generator in one architecture. With batteries, the vessel can stay silent at anchor too.
- Shore-side version. If the onboard unit fails, the shipyard can power the vessel from the quay.
- Efficient. A three-stage architecture versus the standard five: 40% lower conversion losses, THD below 3% and power factor above 0.99. No impact on the port grid’s power quality.
Validated on board
The 75 kVA monolithic prototype runs aboard Petrus, a 32.9 m Sanlorenzo SL108, in real operating conditions (TRL 7). The full story is in The Petrus case.
What the owner gains
According to the owners we consulted, a 40 m yacht that switches off its generator in port saves over €10,000 a year in fuel and maintenance. Then there is what does not show on the bill: quiet and clean air on board, and better relations with the marina and the city. More in Silent at berth.
Who it is for
- Owners and captains of 25 to 45 m yachts: Silent at berth.
- Refit yards: Shore power that fits through the hatch.
- Marinas: Attracting yachts without diesel on the quay.
- Working vessels: tugs, ferries and service craft (Shore power for vessels that work).
The market is large: in early 2025 there were 6,022 yachts over 30 m in operation and around 2,100 refits a year in that fleet (SuperYacht Times).
What comes next
- 3 November 2026: we unveil the modular SHP-X prototype on the Tomorrow.Blue Economy stand at Smart City Expo.
- March 2027: SHP-X goes on sale in a range up to 250 kW, at the start of the maintenance season.
- In parallel, certification to IEC/IEEE 80005-3.
The three ways to install it are explained here.
See it on the Tomorrow.Blue Economy stand or book a meeting.