Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) has ordered what is probably the marine market’s most energy efficient marine compressed air system for use on board a hospital ship it is building for US humanitarian organisation Mercy Ships.

Under the contract, TMC Compressors will provide a complete marine compressed air system based on Smart Air compressors, which offer up to 40 percent energy saving compared to conventional compressors. The system will consist of control and service air compressors.

“Mercy Ships aims to make their mark on the world by helping people. There is something poetic about then choosing the marine compressed air system that leaves the smallest mark on the globe, through lowest possible energy consumption, emissions to air and operating cost,” says Hans Petter Tanum, TMC’s director of sales and business development.

Frequency controlled

The 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 times. In turn, lower air consumption requires less speed on the compressor, and this directly results in less power consumption.

TMC, which supplies marine compressors solely for marine and offshore use, will manufacture and assemble the equipment in Europe. TMC is headquartered in Oslo, Norway.

Mercy Ships’ hospital ship will be 174 metres long and can accommodate 500 people at sea and 950 people in port. The vessel will feature six operating rooms, training areas and a fully equipped laboratory.