Revolutionary: Carbon-Free Ammonia-Powered Ship Sets Sail

The NH3 Kraken, a tugboat originally constructed in 1957 and retrofitted with Amogy’s ammonia-to-electrical power system, recently embarked on a historic journey on a tributary of the Hudson River, upstream from New York City.

This groundbreaking demonstration marks a significant milestone in the quest to reduce global carbon emissions and propel the maritime industry closer to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. It not only showcases the effectiveness of Amogy’s innovative technology but also highlights the potential of ammonia as a sustainable, carbon-free maritime fuel.

Seonghoon Woo, CEO and co-founder of Amogy, emphasized the importance of such initiatives in combating climate change, stating, “Governments and industry organizations worldwide have set ambitious targets to curb carbon emissions. Our successful voyage of the world’s first carbon-free, ammonia-powered vessel demonstrates that these goals are not only aspirational but also attainable.”

The successful deployment of the NH3 Kraken represents the most significant application of Amogy’s technology to date, following previous successful demonstrations with various vehicles. The company plans to leverage the insights gained from this milestone to advance its technology for both retrofit projects and newbuilds, with collaborations already underway with industry leaders like Hanwha Ocean and Terox.

Amogy’s proprietary ammonia-to-electrical power system, which converts liquid ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen before channeling the hydrogen into a fuel cell for power generation, offers a sustainable and clean energy solution tailored for challenging sectors like maritime shipping. The NH3 Kraken was fueled with green ammonia, produced using renewable energy sources, further reducing its environmental impact.

The global shipping industry currently emits nearly 1 billion tons of greenhouse gases annually, equivalent to the emissions of a G7 country. The successful voyage of the NH3 Kraken underscores the immense potential of ammonia in revolutionizing the shipping industry and other power generation sources in the future.

Woo highlighted the widespread availability of ammonia as a key factor in its adoption as a fuel, stating, “Ammonia is one of the most widely produced chemicals globally, with millions of tons transported through ports annually. Shifting the industry towards using ammonia as a fuel is not only feasible but can be accelerated with the right approach.”

Amogy is set to release a comprehensive case study in the coming months, providing in-depth technical insights into the NH3 Kraken project and its implications for the future of carbon-free maritime fuel.