MarineTransport

Amogy names first carbon-free, ammonia-powered vessel

Amogy hosted a traditional renaming ceremony for the retrofitted, ammonia-fuelled NH3 Kraken, officially welcoming the vessel to water. The tugboat is set to complete its maiden voyage on a tributary of the Hudson River in late summer.

Ammoniafuelled vessel

The NH3 Kraken is intended to prove how ammonia can be safely used as a primary fuel, either in new-builds or retrofitted vessels. The vessel is named for Amogy’s ammonia cracking technology, which converts liquid ammonia (NH3) into its base elements of hydrogen and nitrogen, then funnels the hydrogen into a fuel cell, generating high-performance power with zero carbon emissions. Amogy is focusing this new clean technology on applications in hard-to-abate sectors such as maritime shipping and power generation.

NH3 Kraken’s history

Amogy CEO Seonghoon Woo, who led the traditional renaming ceremony, said, “Today’s ceremony marks a significant moment as we edge closer to making maritime history and transforming one of the world’s oldest industries. The retrofit of the NH3 Kraken is nearing completion, and, soon, we will celebrate not just the validation of our proprietary technology in maritime vessels, but also the beginning of a new era. This venture allows us the extraordinary opportunity to forge a greener future for generations to come.”

Originally built in 1957, the NH3 Kraken has passed through multiple owners and has been known by various names. Changing hands from the Virginian Railroad Company, to the Boston Fuel Transportation Company, to Breakwater Marine, the tugboat most recently supported ice-breaking operations for Feeney Shipyard before being sold to Amogy.

In related news, Yanmar Holdings and Amogy recently entered a memorandum of understanding to integrate Amogy’s advanced ammonia-cracking technology into Yanmar’s hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2ICE). Click here to read the full story.