Page 43: of Marine News Magazine (November 2021)

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Feature

Electri? cation

Maid of the Mist’s James V. Glynn and

Nikola Tesla are the ? rst all-electric newbuild passenger vessels in the U.S.

ABB lternatives to fossil fuels are emerging through- out the maritime universe, and vessels working in U.S. rivers, waterways and harbors are at the

A cusp on this trend. While the alternative fuels spectrum is wide, battery power and electri? cation—a technology that has seen a decade of shipboard applica- tions already—is particularly suited for smaller vessels.

Crowley Maritime Corp will be taking delivery of a completely electric tugboat, dubbed eWolf; the boat- which will include kit for advanced vessel control tied to an electric propulsion system from ABB, is expected to be delivered in mid-2023 from Master Boat Builders in

Coden, Ala., not far from Mobile. The boat will handle ship assists at the Port of San Diego, Calif. Crowley said, “The electric tug will replace one that consumes more than 30,000 gallons of diesel per year.” The 82-foot vessel will have 70 tons of bollard pull. Supplier ABB had noted, “It will be the ? rst all-electric, battery-powered harbor tug ever built and operated in the United States and only the third of its kind to enter operations worldwide.” Crowley added that: “The eTug’s battery system will be charged at a specially designed, shoreside station developed with Co- www.marinelink.com MN 43|