Jiangnan Shipyard has contracted TMC Compressors (TMC) to supply its highly energy efficient Smart Air compressors to four VLGCs the yard is building for Chinese gas carrier Tianjin Southwest Maritime.

TMC’s Smart Air compressors can offer up to 50 percent energy saving compared to conventional compressors.

Under the agreement, TMC will supply a complete marine compressed air system, including two frequency controlled Smart Air compressors and a desiccant air dryer, to each of the four 93,000 cbm VLGCs.

TMC has not disclosed the value of its contract.

“Our Smart Air compressors are the global shipping market’s most energy efficient marine compressors. They are designed to reduce operating expenditure and emissions to air, while at the same time ensuring top operational reliability. They are a good match for the profile of these VLGCs,” says Hans Petter Tanum, TMC’s director of sales and business development.

TMC’s Smart Air compressors are based on a frequency-controlled technology that offers precise control of the compressor speed. Simply explained: the speed of the electrical motor will adjust itself according to what is required to produce the exact air volume necessary to meet the actual compressed air consumption at all time. In turn, lower air consumption requires less speed on the compressor and this directly results in less power consumption.

The four VLGCs will be equipped with dual fuel LPG propulsion. They will be of Jiangnan’s Panda Class 93k cbm design with patented ‘brilliance technology’ to improve hull efficiency and lower consumption.

Two weeks ago, TMC announced that Jiangnan Shipyard had awarded the company a contract to deliver its Smart Air compressors to six similar VLGCs that the yard is constructing for LPG shipping company Petredec, bringing the total order book to ten marine compressed air systems from TMC to Jiangnan.

TMC is a global supplier of compressed air systems for marine and offshore use. The company is headquartered in Oslo, Norway.