Lomar’s corporate venture lab, Lomarlabs, has signed a collaboration agreement with maritime deep-tech start-up CargoKite. Together, they will develop a new ship class of micro ships using large kite systems as the main method of propulsion and cutting-edge 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. 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.
Stylianos Papageorgiou, managing director of Lomarlabs, says: ‘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.’
Also read: Kites at sea as an alternative to wind turbines?
CargoKite technology
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.
‘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,’ states Marcus Bischoff, co-founder and CTO of CargoKite. ‘The Lomar and Lomarlabs teams deliver expertise in all aspects of ship ownership, construction and operations combined with the vision we share for building sustainable shipping technology of the future. This collaboration aims to develop sea transport that is not only 100 per cent emission-free, but also supports the goals of modern supply chains: customisation, just-in-time delivery, full transparency and cost savings.’
Catamaran with kite system and hydrofoils
CargoKite’s latest prototype demonstrates its technology in a real environment. In 2023, it developed a Proof of Concept with a nine metre catamaran equipped with a kite system and proprietary hydrofoils that successfully demonstrated the novel interaction of known technologies and underlined CargoKite’s potential to disrupt the shipping industry.
Looking ahead, CargoKite is now in the design phase of its full-size first-of-its-kind vessel and the construction of its demonstrator prototype.
Picture by Lomar.
Also read: AiP for performance prediction for wind-assisted ships
