Wind-induced vibration of offshore wind turbine tower would have adverse influences on the its power generation efficiency. Tuned Liquid Damper (TLD) has been demonstrated an effective device for vibration control of offshore wind turbine tower. However, shallow water theory necessitates maintaining a low ratio of liquid depth to tank length to ensure maximal engagement of the liquid mass in oscillations, resulting in a contradiction between the high-demand liquid mass and insufficient installation space. In this case, a tuned liquid inerter system (TLIS), characterized by its lightweight tuning effect, is proposed to realize vibration control of offshore wind turbine tower, The theoretical basis of the offshore wind turbine tower with TLIS is firstly introduced, including governing equation of motion and mechanical models. Parametrical analysis is subsequently conducted to explore the variations in structural performances against the design parameters of TLIS. Verified by a finite element model of offshore wind turbine tower, the control superiority of the TLIS subjected to the wind load is illustrated through a comparison case with TLD. The results demonstrate that the inerter element can significantly reduce the tuned liquid within the TLIS applied to the offshore wind turbine tower, simultaneously meet the same control efficiency as TLD. The proposed TLIS is conducive to achieve lightweight control with high-efficiency, which is suitable for energy infrastructures with limited installation space, providing an alternative wind-induced vibration control approach for the offshore wind turbine tower.