CCS-Certified Marine Air Compressors

Marine Air Compressors — Starting Air, Working Air & Emergency Systems

Every ocean-going vessel depends on compressed air for engine starting, control air supply, deck service air, and safety systems. A typical cargo ship carries at least two main starting air compressors, one working/service air compressor, and one emergency air compressor — each sized to SOLAS and classification society requirements. The main starting air compressors must be capable of providing at least 12 consecutive starts of the main engine without recharging the air receivers.

hicool supplies CCS type-approved marine air compressors (complete units) and OEM-compatible spare parts for compressors from major international makers. Whether you need a new compressor for a newbuild project or replacement valves and piston rings for an existing Sperre or Sauer compressor during dry-dock, we provide the right product with proper classification documentation.

Starting Air Compressors

Starting air compressors are the highest-pressure compressors on board, delivering compressed air at 25–30 bar to the main engine starting air receivers. These are multi-stage reciprocating compressors — typically 2-stage (water-cooled) for marine service. Key specifications:

• Discharge pressure: 25–30 bar (per class rules)
• Free air delivery: 6–120 m³/h depending on main engine size
• Stages: 2-stage with intercooler and aftercooler
• Cooling: Seawater or freshwater (closed loop)
• Drive: Electric motor (440V/380V, 3-phase)
• Compliance: SOLAS Chapter II-1 Reg. 26, class rules

We supply starting air compressors from Chinese manufacturers holding CCS, BV, ABS, and DNV type approvals. These are direct functional equivalents of established European brands, manufactured to the same standards (EN 12583, ISO 1217) at significantly lower cost.

Working & Service Air Compressors

Working air (also called service air or utility air) compressors supply compressed air at 7–8 bar for pneumatic tools, deck cleaning, control instrumentation, and general service. These are typically single-stage or 2-stage reciprocating or rotary screw compressors. We supply both oil-lubricated and oil-free types — the latter required for control air and instrument air applications where oil contamination must be avoided.

Emergency Air Compressors

SOLAS requires an emergency means of starting the main engine that is independent of the main starting air system. The emergency air compressor is typically a smaller, self-contained unit with its own prime mover (diesel engine or dedicated emergency switchboard supply). We supply emergency compressors sized per class rules for the specific main engine type.

Spare Parts for Major Compressor Makers

A large portion of our air compressor business is spare parts supply. Marine air compressors require regular replacement of wearing parts — suction and discharge valves, piston rings, piston rod packings, intercooler and aftercooler tube stacks, safety valves, and unloader assemblies. We supply OEM-compatible spare parts for:

• Sperre — HV1/85, HV2/200, HV2/219, HL2/77, HL2/105 series
• Hamworthy — 2TF5, 2TF8, 2TF10, 4TF series
• Atlas Copco / Hatlapa — L-series, W-series
• Sauer & Sohn — WP series (WP33L, WP41L, WP81L, WP121L, WP151L, WP281L)
• Tanabe — VLH, H-series
• Yanmar — SC series

All spare parts are manufactured to OEM specifications with dimensional verification. Parts are supplied with material certificates where applicable (valve steel, piston ring material).

Looking for a specific model? Our marine air compressor spare parts page lists model-by-model coverage for Tanabe H-series, Sperre HV and HL series, Hatlapa W and V series, Yanmar SC and C series, Sauer WP series, Matsubara and the Nanjing WP series — including which components are available for each frame, and how to have non-standard parts machined from a drawing or a sample.

Why Source Air Compressors Through hicool

Marine air compressor procurement — especially spare parts — requires exact matching to the installed unit’s model and serial number. A wrong piston ring profile or valve seat dimension means the part does not fit. hicool maintains detailed cross-reference data for major compressor models and works with specialized compressor parts manufacturers who have decades of experience producing compatible parts. We verify dimensions before shipment and provide technical support for installation.

For a comprehensive technical overview of marine air compressor types, selection criteria, and maintenance best practices, read our Ultimate Guide to Marine Air Compressors.