New York (TAN): One of the United States’ most popular tourist attractions is going eco-friendly very soon. The company that runs the ‘Maid of the Mist’ boat tour in New York state’s Niagara Falls will launch two new zero-emission electric vessels later this year.
The battery-operated duo will be the first all-electric vessels to be constructed in the country.
Switzerland-based technology company ABB will power the new catamarans with battery packs that will not just give tourists noise-free tour of the falls but also cut down on exhaust fumes.
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An onshore charging system will recharge the batteries while passengers board and get off the boats after each trip. Charging will take seven minutes, letting the batteries to ‘power the electric propulsion motors capable of a total 400 kW output’.
Maid of the Mist President Christopher M. Glynn said he was excited for the company to own the country’s first all-electric ferries.
“We have chosen ABB to support us in our journey towards more sustainable operation based on their unparalleled experience in marine system integration, as well as efficient and innovative technologies for sustainable transportation,” he said.
“It makes perfect sense for Maid of the Mist to be a world leader with the implementation of this green technology. The new vessels will carry our guests to the base of Niagara Falls, one of the world’s largest sources of clean hydroelectric power,” Glynn added.
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The two new boats that will use ABB’s green technology are presently being constructed in Wisconsin’s Manitowoc. The modules will be transported to Niagara Falls in mid-May for assembly, and will start service in mid-September. The two boats built in the 1990s that are currently used will be removed from operations thereafter.
President of the Industrial Automation business at ABB Peter Terwiesch said: “Maid of the Mist’s decisive move towards e-mobility signals a new era in the future of transportation and complements ABB’s commitment to power the world without consuming the earth. Reducing emissions at Niagara Falls is not only important for the natural landmark, but also proves that the technologies enabling sustainable mobility are already available today.”
Hydropower, ‘the largest single renewable energy source for electricity generation in the US, which accounts for 7 per cent of the country’s total utility-scale electricity generation’ will charge the batteries, ABB said.
Governor of New York Andrew Mark Cuomo, while announcing the new boats, said: “The Maid of the Mist has offered tours of the world-famous Niagara Falls waterfalls and of the Niagara River Gorge for more than a century, and are a signature tourism attraction of Western New York. The new zero-emission boats will continue that proud tradition while continuing our efforts to make New York State a premier environmentally friendly tourism destination.”
“The hull of the new vessels features an icon of the electricity symbol within a water droplet surrounded by a turbine with Niagara Falls in the background. The color scheme is environmentally-friendly green combined with the blue of the water,” Glynn said.
“The Maid of the Mist has been a tremendous partner at Niagara Falls State Park. These new vessels delivering a superior visitor experience while expanding the sustainable practices we need to adapt to protect the natural assets that draw visitors to Niagara Falls and parks across the state,” said Erik Kulleseid, New York State Parks Acting Commissioner.
The Maid of the Mist, that has been giving tours to passengers in the falls since 1846, hopes to ferry an estimated 1.6 million passengers from across the world this year.
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