Hundreds gathered at the Incat Tasmania shipyard in Hobart,Tasmania, today to witness the launch of Incat Hull 096 – the world’s largest battery-electric ship.
Constructed for South American ferry operator Buquebus, the 130 meter long vessel will operate entirely on battery-electric power when it enters service between Buenos Aires and Uruguay carrying up to 2,100 passengers and 225 vehicles across the River Plate.
The ship is equipped with over 250 tonnes of batteries and an energy storagesystem (ESS) with more than 40 megawatt-hours of installed capacity. The ESS, which is four times larger than any previous maritime installation in the world, is connected to eight electric driven waterjets and supplied by Wärtsilä.
The ship is the ninth Incat-built vessel for Buquebus, continuing a proud and long-standing partnership between the two companies.
Work will now continue completing the vessel’s interior, which includes a 2,300 square meter duty-free retail deck – the largest shopping space on any ferry in the world. Final fit-out, battery installation, and energy system integration will take place ahead of sea trials later this year.
“We are proud to have collaborated with Incat and Buquebus in launching the world’s largest battery-electric ship,” said Roger Holm, president of Wärtsilä Marine and executive vice president at Wärtsilä Corporation. “Ferries play a vital role in meeting the growing demand for environmentally sustainable transport options, with ship electrification a key solution for enabling the sector to transition towards net-zero emissions.”