Smart Air for KNOT shuttle tanker

16 October 2025 – COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Zhoushan) has contracted TMC Compressors (TMC) to supply what is probably the global maritime market’s most energy efficient marine compressed air system to a shuttle tanker that is being built for Knutsen NYK Offshore Tankers (KNOT).

(Photo courtesy of COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Zhoushan)

TMC’s scope of supply includes a complete marine compressed air system that consists of Smart Air compressors. These can offer up to 40 percent energy saving compared to conventional compressors. The system will consist of control and service air compressors.

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. This directly results in less power consumption which translates to lower operating expenditure and less emissions to air,” says Hans-Petter Tanum, TMC’s director of sales and business development.

The Smart Air system will be installed on board a 154,000-dwt DP2 Suezmax shuttle tanker that has been ordered by KNOT.

Earlier this year, TMC announced that it had won a contract to deliver a marine compressed air system to three other shuttle tankers that COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Zhoushan) is constructing for KNOT.

“To be able to collaborate with COSCO Zhousan for another shuttle tanker project is something we are proud of,” adds Tanum.

TMC designs marine compressed air systems solely for offshore and marine use. The company is headquartered in Oslo, Norway.