Incat launches world’s largest battery-powered ship
The ferry is named after the Uruguayan actress and director, China Zorrilla
The largest battery-electric ship in the world has been launched at Incat’s shipyard in Hobart, Tasmania. The ferry China Zorrilla is being built for the South American ferry operator, Buquebus, and will operate across the River Plate between Buenos Aires and Uruguay. The all-electric vessel will be capable of carrying up to 2,100 passengers and 225 vehicles.
The ferry, the ninth that Incat has built for Buquebus, has an energy storage system consisting of more than 250 tonnes of batteries and over 40MWh of installed capacity. The system is four times larger than any battery installation so far and is connected to eight Wärtsilä waterjets powered by electricity.
“This is a historic day – not just for Incat, but for the future of marine transport,” declared Robert Clifford, Incat chairman. “We’ve been building world-leading vessels here in Tasmania for more than four decades, and Hull 096 is the most ambitious, most complex, and most important project we’ve ever delivered. This ship changes the game.”
Buquebus president, Juan Carlos López Mena revealed that it was originally envisaged that the ferry would use LNG as fuel. But in what he described as ‘a true milestone achieved between private companies’, the two company heads took the decision to switch to electricity.
Incat CEO, Stephen Casey, added: “We’re not just building a ship – we’re building the future. Hull 096 proves that large-scale, low-emission transport solutions are not only possible, they are ready now. This is a proud day for Tasmania and for Australian manufacturing.”
Fitting out the vessel’s interior, including a 2,300m2 duty-free retail area, will continue over the next few months. Final fit-out, installation of batteries, and energy system integration will prepare the ferry for sea trials later this year.
