Electric opportunities for North American ferries

A workhorse in shipping for decades, the combustion engine is likely to be the prime mover of choice – when paired with carbon-neutral fuels – for the oceangoing fleet for decades to come. Developments in battery technologies, energy management systems and shore power charging, however, are making ‘ditch the diesel’ decisions a lot easier in certain harbour and coastal vessel applications.

That is the case for two new all-electric tour boats built for US-based Maid of the Mist, which sails scenic cruises to the base of Niagara Falls. “As well as allowing passengers to enjoy the spectacular experience of Niagara Falls and safeguarding the environment, the vessels confirm growing acceptance of all-electric vessel propulsion,” said ABB Marine & Ports Division president Juha Koskela. “We applaud Maid of the Mist’s decision to move to zero-emission operation and are honoured to have worked with this forward-thinking company on implementing the electric power and propulsion solution.”

Using the power of Niagara Falls itself to propel the vessels, the all-electric boats, James V. Glynn and Nikola Tesla, will recharge shoreside each time they dock to load and offload passengers. Recharging to 80% capacity takes about seven minutes, with all of the renewable electricity generated by the Falls – one of the largest sources of hydropower in North America. These true zero-emission passenger vessels – the first newbuilds of their kind in the US – are each powered by a pair of battery packs with a total of 316 kWh, split between two catamaran hulls. This creates two independent power systems providing full redundancy.

Once recharged, the high-capacity batteries are capable of powering the Ramme Electric Machines permanent magnet electric propulsion motors. This is controlled by ABB’s integrated Power and Energy Management System (PEMS), to optimise the energy use on board.

“Maid of the Mist has always evolved with the technology, and we are thrilled to open a new page in our company’s history, moving our fleet to zero-emission operation,” said Maid of the Mist president Christopher M Glynn. Investment in the two electric tourboats will allow Maid of the Mist to retire two diesel-powered vessels, allowing 1.6M tourists that visit the Falls annually on the company’s boats to enjoy a quiet, clean ride without engine noise, vibration and the fumes caused by diesel engines.

The tourboats were assembled on site, built from modules that were constructed at Burger Boat Company in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and transported by truck to Niagara Falls.

Maid of the Mist’s tourboats are not the first all-electric passenger vessels in the US. That distinction belongs to Gee’s Bend Ferry, which was converted in 2019 and is operated by HMS Ferries, in Gee’s Bend, Alabama, for the state’s department of transportation.

Speaking about the benefits of electric propulsion at a Riviera Maritime Media webinar, Business Case for Hybrid and Electric Technology in North America, HMS Ferries Inc technical director Daniel Frank said one of the drivers for the conversion of the car ferry was maintenance costs. Mr Frank anticipates less maintenance over the lifetime of a lithium-ion battery than there is for a diesel unit over the same period.

ABB vice president, Americas, new builds Ed Schwartz concurs, and he believes owners are becoming more aware of the benefits of electrification: “We knew the market was very interested in solutions to reduce emissions from all our conversations over the past year, but we are pleasantly surprised by all the requests for actual newbuild opportunities this year. Owners are understanding quickly that hybrid and all-electric solutions are the path to success for the future.”