COSCO opts for Smart Air for WTG foundation installation vessel
COSCO Heavy Industries has ordered the what is amongst the marine market’s most environmentally friendly marine compressed air system to a jack-up foundation installation vessel the shipbuilder is constructing for Cadeler A/S, according to the company's release.
Cadeler is a hybrid between a shipping and a construction company operating in the offshore wind industry. The company specializes in the transport and installation of foundations and offshore wind turbines.
Under the contract, TMC Compressors (TMC) 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. 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.
Cadeler’s F-class vessel is designed to cater for the largest projects in the renewable wind offshore industry. The vessel can be converted from installation of large foundations to installation of wind turbine generators (WTGs) within a short period of time. It will enable Cadeler to target the growing segment of large-scale foundation installations and to offer a complete set of services within transport and installation of offshore wind farms.
TMC, which supplies marine compressors solely for marine and offshore use, will manufacture and assemble the equipment in Europe and ship it to COSCO’s shipyard in Qidong, China. TMC is headquartered in Oslo, Norway.
