INCAT Tasmania has commenced the countdown to the launch of its electric ferry Hull 096.
The 130-metre-long catamaran is due to launch in 70 days, on 2 May, as the largest battery-electric ferry ever built.
Hull 096 will eventually sail between Argentina and Uruguay as China Zorrilla, operated by South American company Buquebus.
Incat believes the project will stand as “one of the most significant export achievements in Australian history”.
“We have been building boats for more than 40 years, but this is the most important launch in Incat’s history by far,” Incat chairman Robert Clifford said.
“The launch of the world’s largest battery-electric ship is a monumental achievement and a defining moment, not just for Incat, but for Tasmania, for Australia and for sustainable transport worldwide.”
Hull 096 is designed with a 40-megawatt energy storage system which, according to Incat Tasmania, is four times the battery capacity of any ship currently in existence. The weight of the batteries amounts to more than 250 tonnes.
The ferry will have capacity for 2100 passengers and 225 vehicles.
As construction progresses in Hobart, the impellers and water jets have been installed while propulsion equipment and energy storage systems continue to arrive for installation.
And the vessel’s fit-out is also on schedule, Incat said. It features a 2300-square metre shopping space.
Work will continue on the vessel after its launch, including the interior fit-out and the installation of the battery system.
Once fully equipped, Hull 096 will undergo sea trials in Hobart’s River Derwent later in the year.
