Lomarlabs, an innovation arm of Lomar Shipping, and Blaze Energy, a U.S.- and Norway-based hard-tech company focused on fuel flexibility for the maritime shipping industry, have set up a collaboration to pilot a compact onboard fuel reforming system for multi-fuel engines.
The partners will work together towards piloting Flex-Fuel Reformer, a third-generation, compact, engine-integrated fuel reformer designed to accelerate the practical adoption of alternative fuels in commercial shipping, with the system to be installed onboard a Lomar vessel.
According to the companies, this multi-fuel reforming system converts ammonia, methanol, or LNG into hydrogen directly onboard the ship, allowing propulsion and power generation machinery and equipment to efficiently operate on full or partial hydrogen blends to reduce associated emissions without compromising operational flexibility.
The installed system will first be proven through ammonia.
Having the pilot installed on board the Lomar vessel, this testing under real marine operating conditions is seen as a key validation step towards the first commercial retrofit and newbuild deployments.
“This pilot marks a deliberate shift from proving technology to proving operability. By integrating Blaze Flex-fuel System with a trading vessel we are addressing one of the key bottlenecks in adopting alternative fuels: practical, safe, and flexible use in existing vessels,” said Rok Sitar , CEO and Co-founder of Blaze Energy.
“Collaborating with an owner of this caliber allows us to validate the system under class-relevant conditions and build a credible pathway toward broader deployment with owners, OEMs and class societies.”
After land-based testing and engagement with classification societies, the pilot is expected to be installed early next year.
“The energy transition in shipping will be non-linear, and multi-fuel for longer than we may want or expect. Technologies that create optionality, rather than betting on a single outcome, will be strategically important. Blaze Energy works to bring to market a technology that delivers optionality to owners and resolves engineering bottlenecks. Our collaboration is about giving new technology the space and support it needs to iterate, learn, and prove itself in the real world,” said Stylianos Papageorgiou , Managing Director of Lomarlabs.