COSCO appoints TMC to equip wind farm installation vessel

9 September 2025 – COSCO Heavy Industries has placed an order for what is probably the marine market’s most energy efficient marine compressed air system for the Wind Ace – a jack-up offshore wind farm installation vessel the shipbuilder is constructing for Cadeler.

Illustration courtesy of Cadeler

Under the contract, TMC Compressors (TMC) will provide a complete marine compressed air system based on its Smart Air compressors. The system will consist of control and service air compressors. TMC has not disclosed the value of the contract.

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

“Our Smart Air compressors offer up to 40 percent energy saving compared to conventional compressors. For a vessel of this size, this translates to significant savings on costs, energy consumption and emissions to air,” says Hans-Petter Tanum, TMC’s director of sales and business development.

The A-class newbuild Wind Ace wind turbine installation vessel from Cadeler is expected to be delivered in the second half of 2026. The vessel can convert from being a foundation installation unit to a wind turbine generator installation vessel within a short period of time. The vessel will be built at COSCO Heavy Industries’ yard in Quidong, China.

With a deck space of 5,600 m2, a payload of more than 17,600 tons and a main crane capacity to be disclosed at a later date, the A-class vessels once in operation will be unmatched in the industry judging by today's standards. Wind Ace will be able to transport and install seven complete 15MW turbine sets per load or six sets of 2XL monopile foundations, cutting down the number of transits needed for each project

“We have previously supplied a Smart Air marine compressed air system to the Wind Ally A-class wind farm installation vessel. We believe that we had a fruitful cooperation with both COSCO Heavy Industries and Cadeler on the first project, which is evidenced by this new order for Wind Ace,” adds Hans-Petter Tanum.

Cadeler is a key supplier of offshore wind installation, operations, and maintenance services. Cadeler is a pure play company, solely operating in the offshore wind industry with an uncompromising focus on safety and the environment.

Oslo-based TMC designs marine compressed air systems solely for offshore and marine use.