Amogy reveals ammonia-powered tug design
Amogy Inc is to introduce what it claims will be “the world’s first ammonia-powered zero-emission ship”.
MJ has previously focused on choices the towage industry faces deciding which ‘green’ option to adopt for their new investments.
To add to those choices, Amogy is retrofitting a 1957-built tug, originally adopting diesel generators and electric motors with its ammonia-to-power system using a 1MW version of the “unique” system. This is three times larger than its ammonia-fuelled semi-truck field, which was tested earlier this year. Its ammonia-to-power technology feeds the fuel through its cracking modules integrated into a hybrid fuel cell system powering electric motors.
Brooklyn, New York-based Amogy says ammonia is predicted to become “the leading fuel source for the world’s giant cargo ships by 2050”, and points out that around 3% of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions are from international shipping, a figure expected to increase as other sectors reduce their share of global emissions.
Exploring this route to zero-carbon shipping in a small but relatively powerful vessel is perhaps a stepping stone to such technology in larger shipping in general, but with Yara Clean Ammonia providing fuel for the demonstration, planned for an inland waterway in New York later this year, the fuel supplier sees ammonia becoming a next-generation fuel. It contains properties ideally suited for the hydrogen economy produced with renewable energy resulting in zero greenhouse gas emissions from “well to wake”.
Other partners in the project include Seam, Amogy’s electrical systems integrator; ship design company C-Job Naval Architects, integrating the ammonia system; and New York-based Feeney Shipyard, from whom Amogy sourced the tug.
Amogy is also working with its electrical and systems integrator Unique Technical Solutions for the electrical and systems work involved in scaling up the powerpack for pre-commercial use.
Safety with such developments is important, and Amogy is working with United States Coast Guard and classification society DNV to ensure close alignment with maritime safety standards.
DNV says that following a high-level feasibility study, Amogy showed “great momentum” in development from that point through various related workshops.
Amogy was founded in 2020 by four MIT PhD alumni with a shared vision to enable decarbonisation of the heavy-duty transport sector.
The company has raised $70 million in funding from strategic investors including Amazon, Saudi Aramco, SK Innovation, AP Ventures and DCVC.
