Amogy’s ammonia-powered NH3 Kraken tug sets sail

On Sept. 23, ammonia-to-power solution company, Amogy, released a statement announcing that the world’s first ammonia-powered maritime vessel successfully completed its maiden voyage. The NH₃ Kraken, a tugboat originally constructed in 1957 and retrofitted with Amogy’s ammonia-to-electrical power system, sailed on a tributary of the Hudson River, upstream from New York City.

The statement noted that this demonstration is a significant step towards reducing global carbon emissions and moving the maritime industry closer to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) target of net-zero emissions by 2050. It proves both the viability of Amogy’s technology and the potential of ammonia as a carbon-free maritime fuel, the company said.

 “Governments across the globe and industry organizations like the IMO have set aggressive goals to reduce global carbon emissions. These goals seem daunting, but they’re necessary – and our successful demonstration of the world’s first carbon-free, ammonia-powered vessel proves that they’re achievable,” said Seonghoon Woo, CEO and co-founder of Amogy. “By demonstrating our technology on the water for the first time, we’ve gained invaluable knowledge that will help us move quickly to commercialization and real-world applications. The opportunity to decarbonize the maritime industry is within reach, and for Amogy, it’s just the beginning.”

Amogy states that successfully sailing the NH₃ Kraken is the largest and most significant application of its technology to date, following successful demonstrations of an aerial drone, commercial farm tractor, and semi-truck. Amogy said it will apply knowledge gained from this demonstration to real-world applications of its technology, including both retrofit projects and newbuilds. The company is already working on contracts signed and in progress with organizations such as Hanwha Ocean, Terox, and others.

Amogy’s patented ammonia-to-electrical power system splits, or “cracks,” liquid ammonia into its base elements of hydrogen and nitrogen. The hydrogen is then funneled into a fuel cell, generating high-performance power with zero carbon emissions. This technology offers a sustainable, clean energy solution, tailored for hard-to-abate sectors like maritime shipping, as well as stationary power generation applications. During this demonstration, the NH₃ Kraken was fueled with green ammonia, produced entirely with renewable energy, the company said. 

“Ammonia is the world’s second most produced chemical, with around 20 million tons moving around the globe through 200 ports each year. With that track record, shifting the industry mindset to use it as a fuel is completely achievable, and can happen at an accelerated pace,” continued Woo.

Amogy plans to release a case study providing additional technical details in the coming months.