Lomarlabs signs with Cargokite to develop a new ship class of micro ships
Lomar’s corporate venture lab, lomarlabs, 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 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.
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.
The global shipping industry is crucial to world economies and has to play a role in the green transition by tackling its own emissions. Ship owners and operators worldwide are working towards improved efficiencies and cleaner fuels, but these actions alone are unlikely to be enough to meet targets for emissions reduction set by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
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 positively 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.
