Amogy Demonstrates Tugboat Powered by Ammonia Cracking/Fuel Cell
A start-up company focusing on ammonia-to-power technology, Amogy demonstrated the first tugboat powered by its cracking technology just short of the fourth anniversary of the company’s launch. The trip of a 67-year-old tug along a tributary of New York State’s Hudson River is being called a breakthrough as the company works to develop and commercialize its technology to decarbonize the most difficult industries.
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 the power for the vessel. Several companies are working on the cracking approach that differs from ammonia-fueled combustion engines which have already been demonstrated on vessels, including Fortescue’s converted offshore support vessel and the recent launch by NYK of an ammonia-fueled tugboat in Japan.
“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,” said Seonghoon Woo, CEO and co-founder of Amogy. “The opportunity to decarbonize the maritime industry is within reach, and for Amogy, it’s just the beginning.”
The company reported in 2023 it had acquired a tugboat built in 1957. The vessel which was laid up at the Feeney Shipyard in Kingston, New York was a traditional diesel-fueled vessel. Amogy stripped the power system and replaced it with its ammonia-to-power fuel cell system and renamed the ship NH3 Kraken, the chemical formula for ammonia and a nod to its technology.
(Amogy)
During this demonstration, the NH3 Kraken was fueled with green ammonia, produced with renewable energy. The company told the Associated Press the vessel has a 2,000-gallon tank that provides for 10 to 12 hours of operation. They however admitted the technology still produces trace amounts of nitrogen oxides which they are working to eliminate.
The company was started four years ago in November 2020 and has won an impressive list of investors including Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, Temasek, SK Innovation, Aramco Ventures, Mitsubishi Corporation, and AP Ventures.
The demonstration voyage of NH3 Kraken is the largest application of Amogy’s technology to date. In 2021, the company demonstrated an aerial drone, followed by a commercial farm tractor in 2022, and a semi-truck in 2023. The company said it plans to release a case study providing additional technical details in the coming months on the conversion of the tugboat.
Amogy reports it will apply knowledge gained from these demonstrations to continue to advance its technology. The company has reported agreements and studies with leaders in the maritime industry ranging from HD Hyundai and Hanwha Ocean in South Korea to Japan’s Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, Yanmar, Lloyd’s Register, and the Liberia Register.