If you read my articles, you will have noticed that I worry about the worldwide shipping lanes and the fact that 80% of the global supply chain is transported by ships. Many fleets are getting older and are costing more to run.
So, it seemed like a happy story, when I read that lomarlabs and Bluenose are collaborating and using AI to determine how to enhance vessel aerodynamics, which would reduce fuel consumption of commercial shipping by up to five percent.
First of all, let’s look for the synergies of the partnership, starting with lomarlabs.
lomarlabs is a corporate venture lab launched by Lomar in March 2023, which provides maritime tech companies with the physical infrastructure, support, industry insight, expertise, and funding they need to responsibly evaluate, prove, and commercialize their solutions, catalyzing their entry into a market that’s evolving rapidly.
It draws on nearly five decades of operational innovation at Lomar to accelerate the deployment of deep technological solutions, with a view to solving the maritime industry’s biggest challenges. lomarlabs’ current portfolio of announced collaborations includes:
- Newlight, a fuel innovator that moves from diesel to a hydrogen-diesel mix that reduces emissions and increases fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent.
- Mythos AI, which delivers a complete hydrographic survey for coastal projects. “Archie” makes congested waterways navigable. Precision, real-time data on demand is the game changer.
- Alicia Bots pioneers technology to revolutionize maintenance and care of steel structures, expediting the inspection and cleaning of ship hulls, corrosion scanning and repair assists.
- Bennu is a methane reduction solution for multiple industries, from shipping to energy to waste management.
- Calcarea has invented a technique for reducing carbon emissions by capturing and storing CO2 in the ocean, which mimics natural processes, converting CO2 emissions into stable ocean salts.
- CargoKite says software solutions alone won't suffice for decarbonization of shipping, and has developed an entirely new ship class, which uses the wind as its main source of propulsion.
- Seabound has an onboard kit that captures carbon emissions by passing a ship’s engine exhaust through calcium oxide, which turns the CO2 into limestone before the exhaust goes out of the funnel.
- Turtle enables seafarers to run a fair and self-determined recruitment process and offer reputable shipping companies direct hiring possibilities to global verified seafarers.
lomarlabs seems to be a combination of a VC and R&D organization, which, when ready, deploys innovative technologies to Lomar ships. Lomar itself is a leading ship owner and ship management group with a diversified fleet of around 25 bulk carriers and chemical tankers. Lomar has nearly 50 years of industry expertise and its fleets move millions of tons of cargo annually.
Lomar itself is a maritime subsidiary of Libra Group, a privately owned global business group that includes 20 businesses predominantly focused on aerospace, renewable energy, maritime, real estate, hospitality, and diversified industries. With subsidiaries that own and operate assets in nearly 60 countries, the group applies the strength of its global network and capabilities to deliver cross-sector insights and growth at scale.
While we see a lot of layers within the Libra Group, it does not seem to get caught up in hype cycles and has a methodology to evaluate, implement, and invest in innovative technologies to improve its bottom line within its vertical markets.
Now, let’s look at BlueNose.
BlueNose takes a more wholistic approach using AI to optimize ship aerodynamics through AI-assisted design and the use of advanced materials. By integrating fluid dynamics with cutting-edge shape generation, it enables better designs for more efficient ships, with an expectation of five percent savings on fuel efficiency.
Importantly it is getting great feedback, as attested by Nicholas Georgiou, CEO of Lomar Shipping: "In August 2024, the BlueNose team joined Lomar’s newbuilding projects team in China, touring shipyards and engaging with suppliers to gain firsthand insight into shipbuilding, retrofitting challenges, and commercial dynamics. This is just one example of how Lomar and lomarlabs support early-stage startups by offering them direct access and impactful exposure to the industry."
BlueNose CEO and Co-founder Léon Grillet added, "What started as a student project is now shaping the future of maritime sustainability. Partnering with lomarlabs allows us to accelerate the adoption of our technology, bringing real impact to the shipping sector. Together, we are reducing emissions and driving change."
Having looked at all the projects lomarlabs participate in, it strikes me that there really is a synergistic goal in using all these technologies. None of the solutions strike me as something that can’t be additive to the other investments.
Stylianos Papageorgiou, managing director of lomarlabs, emphasised the collaboration’s impact: "BlueNose exemplifies the forward-thinking innovation we champion at lomarlabs. By combining advanced materials and AI-assisted aerodynamics design, they create versatile and lightweight structures which we are hoping to quickly deploy on vessels, setting new standards for conversion and efficiency improvement. We are excited to support their journey and bring tangible fuel savings to the maritime industry.”
To me, this partnership feels good and I come away with a lot of hope that shipping lanes will get some reprieve from the troubles the shipping industry contends with on a daily basis.
Edited by
Erik Linask
