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Nitrogen+Syngas 395 May-Jun 2025

3 May 2025

Hybrid hydrogen-diesel retrofits for greener shipping

UNITED KINGDOM

Hybrid hydrogen-diesel retrofits for greener shipping

lomarlabs, the innovation arm of Lomar Shipping, has announced a strategic collaboration with Newlight, a technology company specialising in hybrid hydrogen-diesel engine retrofits, to accelerate the adoption of cost-effective, lower-emission solutions for the shipping industry. This collaboration will focus on retrofitting conventional diesel engines to operate on a hydrogen-diesel mix, reducing fuel consumption on average by 20% and significantly lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Savings of up to 30% have already been demonstrated in workshop trials and this new collaboration will seek to replicate this onboard vessels.

As the maritime sector works toward meeting IMO decarbonisation targets, shipowners are searching for solutions to extend the service lives of their existing vessels and future proof new vessels they build. Newlight claims that its dual-fuel retrofit technology is a low capex solution that enables existing vessels to integrate hydrogen as a cleaner fuel source, improving energy efficiency while maintaining operational flexibility.

Stylianos Papageorgiou, Managing director of lomarlabs commented: “We believe in accelerating progress through energy efficiency improvements, emissions treatment and leveraging clean energy sources, always with a focus on maintaining costs at sensible levels. Newlight’s solution fits right into this approach. Decarbonisation isn’t about waiting for the perfect fuel; it’s about acting now with every viable tool at our disposal. Newlight’s dual-fuel retrofit technology promises an immediate, scalable and cost-effective way to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. This is exactly the kind of practical innovation that will bridge the gap between today’s operational realities and the long-term vision of a net-zero maritime industry.”

“Hydrogen has enormous potential as a maritime fuel, but transitioning entire fleets to pure hydrogen is a long-term challenge. We believe the industry cannot afford to wait. By taking immediate steps with the current fleet, we can decarbonise ship by ship—delivering real impact today,” said Haran Cohen Hillel, CEO of Newlight. “By retrofitting existing diesel engines to operate on a hydrogen blend, we provide an immediate, scalable solution that cuts emissions without requiring a complete overhaul of the propulsion systems.”

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