In a groundbreaking development for the maritime industry, a 67-year-old tugboat powered by ammonia successfully completed its inaugural journey on a tributary of the Hudson River. This milestone event, orchestrated by the New York-based startup Amogy, marks a significant step towards reducing carbon dioxide emissions in shipping.
Seonghoon Woo, CEO of Amogy, emphasized the urgency of addressing emissions in the maritime sector, which accounts for approximately 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The company, founded by four friends who met at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, aims to revolutionize heavy industry propulsion with clean energy solutions.
The tugboat, christened NH3 Kraken, utilizes a novel system that converts ammonia into hydrogen for a fuel cell, effectively making it an electric-powered vessel. This technology demonstrates the potential of ammonia as a carbon-free fuel alternative in shipping.
Ammonia's potential as a marine fuel is significant due to several factors:
- It doesn't contain carbon, making it a promising zero-emission fuel.
- Existing infrastructure for handling and transporting ammonia is already in place.
- It has a higher energy density than hydrogen, allowing for more efficient storage and distribution.
However, challenges remain, including ammonia's toxicity and the current production methods that rely heavily on natural gas.
Amogy's technology addresses these concerns by using green ammonia produced from renewable electricity. The system splits liquid ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen, then uses the hydrogen in a fuel cell to generate electricity without carbon emissions.
"It certainly has the potential to be a main or even the main fuel. It has a potentially very friendly greenhouse gas footprint."
The maritime industry's interest in ammonia as an alternative fuel is growing rapidly. Several companies are developing ammonia-powered ships, including:
- Fortescue's Green Pioneer vessel in Singapore
- Yara Clean Ammonia's container ship Yara Eyde, set to launch in 2026
- NYK Group's converted tugboat Sakigake in Japan
Major shipbuilders like Hanwha Ocean, HD Hyundai, and Samsung Heavy Industries are collaborating with Amogy to integrate ammonia power into their vessel designs.
As the shipping industry strives to meet the International Maritime Organization's target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, ammonia-powered vessels could play a crucial role in this transition. With continued research and development, ammonia may become a primary fuel for the maritime sector, helping to decarbonize one of the world's most essential industries.