Lomarlabs joins forces with CargoKite to develop new zero-emission ship class

Lomarlabs, a corporate venture lab of Lomar, has signed a collaboration agreement with maritime deep-tech start-up CargoKite to develop a new ship class of micro ships using large kite systems as the main method of propulsion and AI for autonomous operation.

The design aims to enable low or zero-emission transportation with the added advantage of being able to operate in more challenging and niche trades at any time, lomarlabs said, adding that the vessel’s proprietary, AI-powered route planner calculates the optimal route and determines the estimated arrival time of the vessel based on actual weather conditions.

The CargoKite technology is a spin-off from Munich’s Technical University and will be further enhanced through working with lomarlabs, with the first ships due to be launched in 2027.

In 2023, CargoKite developed a Proof of Concept with a nine-metre catamaran equipped with a kite system and proprietary hydrofoils that demonstrated the novel interaction of known technologies. The company is now in the design phase of its full-size vessel and the construction of its demonstrator prototype.

Stylianos Papageorgiou, Managing Director of lomarlabs, commented: “This radical new ship type has the potential to reframe the way port and maritime logistics are organised. It brings a paradigm shift to operations, which is only now becoming possible thanks to advances made in automation technologies. In addition, it promises to be a groundbreaking decarbonisation solution for shipping.”

Marcus Bischoff, Co-Founder & CTO of CargoKite, stated: “This collaboration provides CargoKite with direct access to a leading, climate-conscious shipowner, and aims to accelerate the full-scale build of our CargoKite vessels… This collaboration aims to develop sea transport that is not only 100% emission free, but also supports the goals of modern supply chains: customisation, just-intime delivery, full transparency and cost savings.”

Nicholas Georgiou, Lomar’s CEO, added: “For ship owners and operators to meet ambitious regulatory targets cost-effectively, we must see a surge in new solutions beyond the currently available technologies. This collaboration aims at offering a new-generation of seaborne transportation, playing a crucial role in the challenging task of decarbonising maritime operations.”

To remind, lomarlabs was launched at the beginning of 2023 with the aim to collaborate with deep-tech startups and tackle “maritime challenges.”

Georgiou said at the time: “We are establishing lomarlabs to help resolve some of our industry’s greatest challenges, none more so than committing to a greener policy for the future and aiding in the decarbonisation of our industry.”