diff --git a/Source/Python/Classes/ControlFile.py b/Source/Python/Classes/ControlFile.py
index 5783535188a05eb1a78a8b1ec314f72f09505f5f..5a1485902e29ad25df6c4786c50d479e5193fb10 100644
--- a/Source/Python/Classes/ControlFile.py
+++ b/Source/Python/Classes/ControlFile.py
@@ -228,6 +228,9 @@ class ControlFile(object):
         Switch to select further parameters for retrievment to support
         WRF simulations. Default value is 0.
 
+    compression : str
+        Compression type for grib messages. Standard is "grid_simple".
+
     ecfsdir : str
         Path to the ECMWF storage  'ectmp:/${USER}/econdemand/'
 
@@ -395,6 +398,7 @@ class ControlFile(object):
         self.prefix = 'EN'
         self.cwc = 0
         self.wrf = 0
+        self.compression = 'grid_simple'
         self.ecfsdir = 'ectmp:/${USER}/econdemand/'
         self.mailfail = ['${USER}']
         self.mailops = ['${USER}']
diff --git a/Source/Python/Classes/EcFlexpart.py b/Source/Python/Classes/EcFlexpart.py
index 65ba97f7e4212e4187accda307d79436bee23231..b7e02f608526d642256cc9f5b83ecbe754b3c8d4 100644
--- a/Source/Python/Classes/EcFlexpart.py
+++ b/Source/Python/Classes/EcFlexpart.py
@@ -1901,6 +1901,16 @@ class EcFlexpart(object):
                                    error_msg='RENAMING FOR NEW GRIB2 FORMAT '
                                    'FILES FAILED!')
 
+            if c.compression.lower() != 'grid_simple':
+                execute_subprocess(['grib_set', '-r', '-s',
+                                    'packingType=' + c.compression,
+                                    ofile, ofile + '_2'],
+                                   error_msg='GRIB COMPRESSION FAILED!')
+
+                execute_subprocess(['mv', ofile + '_2', ofile],
+                                   error_msg='RENAMING FOR NEW GRIB COMPRESSION '
+                                             'FILES FAILED!')
+
             if c.ectrans and _config.FLAG_ON_ECMWFSERVER:
                 execute_subprocess(['ectrans', '-overwrite', '-gateway',
                                     c.gateway, '-remote', c.destination,