Webasto Expands Marine Comfort Range With New HVAC and Roof Systems

Comfort systems are among the least visible parts of a yacht until they stop working. Cooling, heating, ventilation and shade shape almost every hour spent aboard, which is why Webasto’s latest marine programme is more significant than a simple exhibition stand full of equipment.

The company is taking a broadened portfolio to IBEX 2026 in Tampa, combining new self-contained air-conditioning units with chilled-water systems, air handlers, heating, sunroofs and an extendable shade system. Webasto says the range is intended to support vessels from smaller recreational boats through to larger custom applications, giving the launch relevance to the superyacht supply chain as well as the production-boat market.

Self-contained air conditioning leads the new-product push

The latest SX-Series and FCF Evo units are designed as compact self-contained systems for cabins and smaller zones. Webasto is positioning them around efficient operation, installation flexibility and dependable climate control rather than treating cooling capacity as the only measure of performance.

That distinction matters on yachts because machinery space, acoustic treatment, service access and electrical demand all compete for the same limited volume. A compact unit that is easier to install or replace can reduce complexity for builders and refit yards even when a larger yacht ultimately relies on a central chilled-water plant for its main accommodation.

Chilled-water systems extend the range into larger custom yachts

For bigger installations, Webasto is showing its VX-Series and V-PRO Series chillers together with A-Series air handlers. The company’s wider marine range includes systems intended for substantially larger multi-cabin vessels, where central chilled water is distributed to individual air handlers throughout the accommodation.

On a superyacht, that architecture is less about headline cooling figures than about zoning, redundancy, noise and maintainability. Owners and captains expect stable temperatures across very different spaces, while engineers need components that can be serviced without dismantling large sections of interior joinery.

Heating and open-air comfort sit in the same programme

Webasto is also presenting the Air Top Pro 25 marine heater, adding a compact heating option for vessels operating in cooler climates or outside the normal Mediterranean summer season. Extending the usable season of a yacht increasingly depends on managing both heat and cooling rather than designing only for peak summer conditions.

Above deck, the SoLite sunroof and Telescopic Shade 2500 address the opposite problem: controlling sun and ventilation without closing owners and guests away from the exterior. These systems show how comfort engineering increasingly crosses the boundary between mechanical equipment and exterior design.

Global service support becomes part of the buying decision

Webasto is coupling the hardware with its dealer and distribution network, which provides parts, technical support and local service in multiple regions. For yachts that move internationally, the support structure can matter as much as the specification because failures rarely occur conveniently close to the original installer.

The IBEX presentation therefore tells a broader story than a single HVAC launch. Webasto is trying to position marine comfort as an integrated package spanning temperature, ventilation, light and shade, while giving builders and owners a service network capable of following the yacht after delivery.