Amogy is a well-known company who is a provider of mature, scalable and efficient ammonia-to-power solutions. It was recently announced by this company that the first ever carbon-free, ammonia-powered maritime vessel has finished its maiden voyage successfully.

This ship is a world first and it is called NH3 Kraken. Originally this ground breaking boat was a tugboat that was built in 1957 and it was only recently that it was retrofitted with Amogy’s ammonia-to-electrical power system. Once the change had been made, the innovative ship successfully sailed on the Hudson River and travelled upstream from New York City.

Amogy mainly deals in providing carbon-free energy solutions which are used to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors, such as maritime shipping, or other markets like stationary power generation applications. So far the excellent technology has seen success in real-world application and the patented technology is not only mature and scalable, but it is also an extremely efficient method for splitting liquid ammonia and generating electrical power in combination with hydrogen fuel cells.

To complete the now patented process, the ammonia-to-electrical power system splits, or ‘cracks’, liquid ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen, which is its base elements. After this, the hydrogen is funnelled into a fuel cell, which creates high-performance power that comes with zero carbon emissions.

The demonstration that recently took place has already been highlighted as a large step towards minimising global carbon emissions. It also works to simultaneously shift the maritime industry closer to accomplishing the goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. This was a target that was set out by the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO). Combining all of these factors shows that this demonstration proves both the viability of Amogy’s technology, as well as the potential of ammonia as a carbon-free maritime fuel. During the demonstration, the ship selected green ammonia for its fuel and the ammonia was produced completely from renewable energy, which had the beneficial effect of reducing its carbon footprint.

The importance of this projects is emphasised by statistics which state that the global shipping industry emits nearly one billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions on an annual basis. Therefore, the recent voyage being a success, showcases the potential that the ammonia could have around transforming the shipping industry, along with other sources of power generation.

Now that this project is complete and has been successful, Amogy has outlined a plan around releasing a case study which would provide additional technical details within the upcoming months.

CEO and co-founder of Amogy, Seonghoon Woo, commented, “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. 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.”

Woo also mentioned, “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.”