System Conversions & Retrofits

Why is professional marine refrigerant retrofit essential?

Tightening environmental regulations (EU F-Gas, IMO MARPOL) force shipowners to eliminate high-GWP (Global Warming Potential) refrigerants. At ColdWorld, we execute professional marine refrigerant retrofit projects (both Drop-in and full conversions), adapting your engine room for legal operation for years to come. Our engineering approach avoids the massive costs of replacing entire cooling units by extending the lifespan of your existing HVAC-R installation.

The ColdWorld Retrofit Process

A successful conversion is a precision engineering task. We follow a strict four-stage protocol:

1. Thermodynamic Analysis & Choice of Gas: We analyze your system’s performance and select the optimal replacement (e.g., R407F, R448A, R449A, R513A) that won’t compromise the vessel’s cooling capacity or damage existing compressors.

2. Certified Recovery & Disposal: We perform safe recovery of legacy gases (R22, R404A) into certified cylinders and handle legal disposal, providing the required documentation for classification societies like DNV, Lloyd’s, or PRS.

3. Oil Conversion & System Flushing: We execute multiple oil changes (flushing mineral oil for POE/PAG) and perform laboratory tests for residual mineral oil, which is critical for post-conversion reliability.

4. Hardware Upgrades: We replace filter-driers, O-rings, and expansion valves (TXV) as needed, concluding with a full technical documentation update and on-board labeling.

Global Deployment (Riding Squads)

Our service teams (Riding Squads) are ready to perform a marine refrigerant retrofit during shipyard stays (Gdansk, Rotterdam, Hamburg) or directly in-transit, ensuring zero operational downtime for your fleet.

If you are unsure about your vessel’s environmental compliance, start with our professional marine F-Gas audit.