- The global shipping industry, responsible for 2-3% of greenhouse gas emissions, is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050
- Electrified vessels such as the Maid of the Mist ferries and the upcoming hybrid-electric ferry for the Portland-Peaks Island service in Maine, are examples of ABB's contributions to reducing fuel consumption and emissions, increasing energy-efficient maritime operations and serving communities.
- ABB supplies the all-electric propulsion system for the eWolf tugboat in San Diego – the first all-electric, battery-powered harbor tug built in the US and estimated to eliminate the equivalent of over 100 cars’-worth of CO2 pollution every year
The global shipping industry accounts for between two and three percent of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to figures from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the European Union (EU).
Yet the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has committed to achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 – an ambition which will require extensive decarbonization of maritime fuel sources.
ABB solutions are already in use across the marine industry in the US, helping to demonstrate how it can become less reliant on fossil fuels.
Electrified sightseeing cruises
Since 1848, sightseeing boats have operated at the Niagara Falls, which mark a border between the United States and Canada. This spectacular landmark now attracts around 1.2 million visitors per year, lured by the thrill of proximity to 600,000 gallons of water cascading over the Horseshoe Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls and the American Falls – collectively known as the Niagara Falls.
While the original Maid of the Mist ferry was steam-powered, today’s James V Glynn and Nikola Tesla became the first all-electric vessels built and operating in the US when they entered service in 2020.
Electrification of the catamarans, which can each carry 600 passengers, was overseen by ABB and both boats are powered by a pair of battery packs providing 316 kWh total capacity.
The batteries allow dual electric propulsion motors to reach a combined output of up to 400 kW (563 HP), with ABB’s Power and Energy Management System controlling power distribution. They are charged in seven minutes as passengers get on and off the ferries, using electricity from the nearby hydro-electric power plant, making the Maid of the Mist energy cycle entirely emissions-free.
Overnight charges restore the batteries to 100 percent capacity, from the 80 percent level reached at the end of a day’s operations.
Lower emissions on popular route
In the US state of Maine, one of the country’s longest-established ferry routes is to benefit from hybrid-electric propulsion fitted to a new passenger vessel. The new ferry is due to be delivered to operator Casco Bay Lines in 2025, with the promise of cutting up to 800 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, significantly improving air quality in Portland, Maine.
The 50-meter vessel, capable of carrying 599 passengers and 15 vehicles, features hybrid power, propulsion, and a shore charging system supplied by ABB. It can operate in diesel-electric or battery-only modes – or a combination of both.
Zero-emission, battery-only mode is of particular benefit to air quality when a vessel is manoeuvring in port, near passenger terminals. The route serves hundreds of thousands of passengers every year.
Momentum for lower-carbon-footprint ferry operations continues to grow worldwide, and ABB is honored that its solutions are considered integral as more and more operators replace obsolete vessels to match regulatory and societal demands.
Bruce Strupp, vice-president ABB Marine & Ports, US and Canada
Decarbonizing harbour operations
On the US west coast, a pioneering all-electric tugboat has begun operations at the port of San Diego.
The eWolf tug, designed by Crowley Engineering Services to incorporate a propulsion system from ABB, is the first all-electric, battery-powered harbor tug built and operated in the US and only the third of its kind worldwide.
It is capable of a full day of operations before re-charging and is entirely emissions-free. All-electric propulsion is estimated to eliminate the equivalent of more than 100 cars’-worth of CO2 pollution every year.
Over the first ten years of operations, the new tug is predicted to eliminate 170 tons of nitrous oxides (NOx), two tons of diesel particulates and 3,100 tons of carbon dioxide compared with a conventional tug.
Reduced emissions are particularly valuable in a densely inhabited urban harbor environment, where air and noise pollution can aggravate local communities.
The Crowley eWolf, along with the other ABB solutions featured here, showcases the potential for decarbonizing vessels with a single system operator. More detail on ABB’s solutions for the Marine and Port industry can be found here.
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