Technology company Amogy recently held a naming ceremony for a harbour tug that is currently being upgraded with a propulsion system that can run on ammonia.
The tug, which was originally built in 1957 and had sailed under the name Virginian, has been renamed NH3 Kraken. It will commence operational sailings along the Hudson River in New York upon completion of its ammonia propulsion retrofit.
The retrofit entailed replacement of the diesel generators with a 1MW ammonia propulsion system consisting of a hybrid fuel cell and electric motors. Liquid ammonia is converted into its base elements of hydrogen and nitrogen and then funnelled into the fuel cell, generating high-performance power with zero carbon emissions.
The tug came into the possession of 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 tug most recently supported icebreaking operations for Feeney Shipyard before being sold to Amogy.
The retrofit of NH3 Kraken was undertaken in collaboration with Netherlands-based C-Job Naval Architects.
