Amogy renames its ammonia powered tugboat NH3 Kraken

Amogy CEO Seonghoon Woo led NH3 Kraken renaming ceremony

Brooklyn, N.Y.-headquartered ammonia to power pioneer Amogy Inc. is getting nearer to trialing the world’s first ammonia powered tugboat on a tributary of the Hudson River. In preparation for that event it has renamed the 1957-built tugboat that it is converting to ammonia powering as the NH3 Kraken.

The NH3 Kraken will be the world’s first carbon-free, ammonia-powered vessel of any kind, according to Amogy.

Amogy CEO Seonghoon Woo led the renaming ceremony, which included the symbolic purging of the boat’s former name—a maritime tradition believed to appease Poseidon, the god of the sea, ensuring the vessel’s safe passage and good fortune.

Since 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.

“Today’s ceremony marks a significant moment as we edge closer to making maritime history and transforming one of the world’s oldest industries,” said Woo. “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.”

The NH3 Kraken will prove how ammonia can be safely used as a primary fuel, either in new builds or retrofitted vessels. The ammonia powered tugboat is named for Amogy’s innovative 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.

For a deeper dive into what’s been involved in retrofitting the tugboat with the Amogy tech, join Marine Log for a webinar, “The First Ammonia-Powered Tug Comes to Life,” on Wednesday, August 7, at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Speakers will include:

• Anastasija Kuprijanova, director, maritime business development, Amogy Inc.
• Job Volwater, CEO, C-Job Naval Architects
• John Roger Nesje, sales director Europe, SEAM
• Heather Ervin, editor in chief, Marine Log

Sign up for the webinar HERE