Tugboat powered by ammonia sails for the first time, showing how to cut emissions from shipping

Associated Press

KINGSTON, N.Y. (AP) — A tugboat powered by ammonia sailed for the first time Sunday in the Hudson River to show how the maritime industry can slash planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions. The tugboat used to run on diesel fuel. The New York-based startup company Amogy bought the 67-year-old ship to power it in a new, carbon-free way using ammonia and an electric fuel cell. The tugboat’s first sail is a milestone in a race to develop zero-emissions propulsion. Emissions from shipping have increased over the last decade — to about 3% of the global total according to the United Nations— as vessels have gotten much bigger, delivering more cargo per trip, using immense amounts of fuel oil.