An Australian boat builder has launched what will be the world’s largest battery-powered ship, describing it as “a huge leap forward in sustainable shipping” and its “most significant” project to date.
Incat, a Tasmania-based builder, built the vessel – called Hull 096 – after being contracted by South American ferry operator Bucabus to build a vessel to run between the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, and Uruguay.
Launching the ship in Hobart on Friday, the company said it would operate entirely on battery-electric power, carrying up to 2,100 passengers and 225 vehicles across the River Plate, which forms the border between Argentina and Uruguay, ,
“We have been building world-leading ships here in Tasmania for more than four decades, and Hull 096 is our most ambitious, most complex and most significant project to date,” said Incat Chairman Robert Clifford.
Clifford said Incat hoped to “build as many sustainable ships as possible for the global market, both in Australia and overseas”.
At 130 metres, Hull 096 is not only the world’s largest electric ship, but also “the largest electric vehicle of its kind ever built”, the company said.
The ship is equipped with over 250 tonnes of batteries and has an installed capacity of over 40 megawatt-hours.
Incat said the energy storage system was comprised of eight electrically powered water jets and had a capacity four times larger than any previous marine installation.
Stephen Casey, chief executive of Incat, said, “Hull 096 proves that large-scale, low-emission transport solutions are not only possible, but they are now ready.”
According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the global shipping industry accounts for 3% of the world’s annual emissions.
Dr Liam Davies, lecturer in sustainability and urban planning at RMIT University, said because the new ship would serve a regular ferry route, it could be a “good use case” for monitoring what was effective in shipping electrification.
“This is something that seems like a good use case and a good way to find out what works and what doesn’t in terms of electric vehicle shipping,” he said.
“Learning how we effectively do electric shipping can serve as a stepping stone toward container ships and cargo ships.”
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