The world’s largest battery-electric ship has officially been launched from Incat‘s shipyard in Hobart, Tasmania.
Constructed for South American ferry operator Buquebus, the battery-electric vessel—called Hull 096—is the most significant ever built by Incat, and represents a giant leap forward in sustainable shipping.
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When it enters service between Buenos Aires and Uruguay, it will operate entirely on battery-electric power, carrying up to 2,100 passengers and 225 vehicles across the River Plate.
“This is a historic day—not just for Incat, but for the future of maritime transport,” Incat chairman Robert Clifford said.
“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.”
The ship is equipped with over 250 tonnes of batteries and an Energy Storage System (ESS) boasting more than 40MWh 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 leading technology partner Wärtsilä.
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Work will now continue completing the vessel’s interior, which includes a 2,300 square metre 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 on the River Derwent.
At 130m in length, Hull 096 is not only the largest electric ship in the world, but also the largest electric vehicle of its kind ever built—and one of the most significant single export items in Australia’s manufacturing history.
