They only operated for just over a month this year, but the new all-electric Maid of the Mist tourist vessels in Niagara Falls have been named "Boat of the Year" by American Ship Review.
The Maid of the Mist took delivery of the first zero-emission passenger vessels built in the United States last fall and spent much of the summer testing the boats. They began tourist service to the base of Niagara Falls on Oct. 6 and ended operations for the season on Nov. 8.
Described in the cover story of Professional Mariner magazine, the two ships are named the "James V. Glynn" and "Nikola Tesla." Each boat can accomodate 600 guests, with two observation decks and six crew members.
They come with lithium-ion battery packs and an onshore charging system, for sustainable operation with maximum reliability.