Aug 6th 2025
Navigating Smart Power: How Horner Controls Power a Luxury Yacht’s Seamless Energy System
When it comes to marine automation, reliability, space efficiency, and flexibility aren’t just “nice to have”—they’re critical. That’s why MSHS Pacific Power Group (PPG) turned to Horner Automation to deliver a smart, seamless power transfer solution for the Kashmir, a 132-foot luxury yacht navigating the waters of Florida and the Caribbean.
This real-world application showcases the value of Horner’s integrated control solutions, particularly the XL4 Prime controller and SmartStix Remote I/O modules, in high-stakes marine environments.
The Challenge: Seamless Power Transfer at Sea
The Kashmir needed an automation system capable of intelligently managing the transfer between three electrical sources:
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Two onboard generators
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A shore power inverter system
The system had to automatically prioritize and switch between these sources depending on availability, load demand, and operational conditions—all without manual intervention. Quiet operation in port, energy reliability while at sea, and power load management were all vital goals.
The Solution: Horner XL4 Prime & SmartStix I/O
Originally equipped with Horner XLE controllers, the system was upgraded to dual XL4 Prime controllers in a redundant configuration. These advanced OCS (Operator Control Stations) handle:
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Generator start/stop logic
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Power source transfer automation
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Load-shedding to prevent overloads
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User interface via integrated HMI
The SmartStix Remote I/O modules provided reliable connectivity to field devices while saving valuable space—an essential feature on compact marine vessels.
Better still, 90% of the existing XLE software was ported directly into the XL4 Prime with minimal rework, streamlining the upgrade process. Thanks to the integrated color HMI, additional functions and user-friendly visualizations were easily added.
Why Horner?
For MSHS PPG, Horner offered three major advantages:
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Integration: Horner’s all-in-one OCS devices combine PLC logic and HMI capabilities, simplifying the system architecture and reducing wiring and footprint.
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Flexibility: The same Horner hardware and software (Cscape) can be used across various marine and industrial applications, saving engineering time and resources.
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Support: Horner’s training and technical support allow teams to deploy systems quickly and confidently.
As Peter in ‘t Zandt, Engineering Director at MSHS PPG, puts it:
“Horner controls are flexible and relatively simple to program. The support and training that Horner offers allows our engineers to quickly get a Horner control system up and running.”
Built for Harsh and High-End Environments
Whether it’s a cruise ship, defense vessel, or private yacht, marine automation demands equipment that’s both rugged and intelligent. Horner products like the XL4 Prime and SmartStix meet these demands with compact design, built-in redundancy, and robust functionality—all supported by powerful software and responsive service.
For MSHS PPG and the luxury yacht Kashmir, Horner proved to be the ideal partner—delivering control systems that are as refined as they are resilient.
Want to explore Horner industrial control products for your application?