https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/02/hull-096-worlds-largest-electric-ship-battery-power-launched [p] Skip to main contentSkip to navigation Close dialogue1/4Next imagePrevious imageToggle caption Skip to navigation Print subscriptions Newsletters Sign in US[ ] * US edition * UK edition * Australia edition * Europe edition * International edition The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian [ ] * News * Opinion * Sport * Culture * Lifestyle Show moreHide expanded menu * [ ]News + View all News + US news + US politics + World news + Climate crisis + Middle East + Ukraine + US immigration + Soccer + Business + Environment + Tech + Science + Newsletters + Wellness * [ ]Opinion + View all Opinion + The Guardian view + Columnists + Letters + Opinion videos + Cartoons * [ ]Sport + View all Sport + Soccer + NFL + Tennis + MLB + MLS + NBA + WNBA + NHL + F1 + Golf * [ ]Culture + View all Culture + Film + Books + Music + Art & design + TV & radio + Stage + Classical + Games * [ ]Lifestyle + View all Lifestyle + The Filter + Wellness + Fashion + Food + Recipes + Love & sex + Home & garden + Health & fitness + Family + Travel + Money * Search input [ ] google-search Search + Support us + Print subscriptions + Newsletters + Download the app * + Search jobs + Digital Archive + Guardian Licensing + Live events + About Us + The Guardian app + Video + Podcasts + Pictures + Inside the Guardian + Guardian Weekly + Crosswords + Wordiply + Corrections + Tips * Search input [ ] google-search Search + Search jobs + Digital Archive + Guardian Licensing + Live events + About Us * World * Europe * US news * Americas * Asia * Australia * Middle East * Africa * Inequality * Global development Hull 096, an electric ship constructed by Australian boatbuilder Incat, was contracted by the South American ferry operator Buquebus to run between Buenos Aires and Uruguay. The ship launched in Hobart, Tasmania on Friday. [ ] Hull 096, an electric ship constructed by Australian boatbuilder Incat, was contracted by the South American ferry operator Buquebus to run between Buenos Aires and Uruguay. The ship launched in Hobart, Tasmania on Friday. Photograph: Incat View image in fullscreen Hull 096, an electric ship constructed by Australian boatbuilder Incat, was contracted by the South American ferry operator Buquebus to run between Buenos Aires and Uruguay. The ship launched in Hobart, Tasmania on Friday. Photograph: Incat Tasmania This article is more than 7 months old 'World's largest' electric ship measuring 130 metres launched by Tasmanian boatbuilder This article is more than 7 months old Manufacturer Incat built Hull 096 to run between Buenos Aires and Uruguay, dubbing it the 'most complex' project it has ever undertaken Lisa Cox Fri 2 May 2025 01.05 EDTLast modified on Fri 2 May 2025 10.55 EDT Share An Australian boatbuilder has launched what it describes as the world's largest battery-power ship, describing it as a "a giant leap forward in sustainable shipping" and the "most important" project it has ever done. Incat, a manufacturer based in Tasmania, constructed the ship - called Hull 096 - after being contracted by the South American ferry operator Buquebus to build a vessel to run between the Argentinian 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. . Surface tension: could the promised Aukus nuclear submarines simply never be handed over to Australia? Read more "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," the chairman of Incat, Robert Clifford, said. Clifford said Incat hoped to build "as many sustainable ships as possible for the global market, both here in Australia and overseas". The company said at 130 metres, Hull 096 was not only the largest electric ship in the world, but also "the largest electric vehicle of its kind ever built". A look inside Incat's Hull 096, which can carry up to 2,100 passengers.View image in fullscreen A look inside Incat's Hull 096, which can carry up to 2,100 passengers. Photograph: Ethan James/AAP The ship is equipped with more than 250 tonnes of batteries and has more than 40 megawatt-hours of installed capacity. Incat said the energy storage system was connected to eight electric-driven water jets and its capacity is four times larger than any previous maritime installation. "Hull 096 proves that large-scale, low-emission transport solutions are not only possible, they are ready now," Incat's chief executive, Stephen Casey, said. The global shipping industry accounts for 3% of the world's annual emissions, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. The Hull 096 will depart for South America to carry passengers between Argentina and Uruguay.View image in fullscreen The Hull 096 will depart for South America to carry passengers between Argentina and Uruguay. Photograph: Ethan James/AAP Dr Liam Davies, a lecturer in sustainability and urban planning at RMIT University, said because the new ship would service a regular ferry route, it could be a "good use case" to monitor what was effective in shipping electrification. "That is something that seems like a good use case and a good way to find what works and what doesn't in terms of electric vehicle shipping," he said. "Using that to learn how we effectively do electric shipping could act as a stepping stone towards container ships and cargo ships." Hundreds gathered at the Incat shipyard in Hobart on Friday.View image in fullscreen Hundreds gathered at the Incat shipyard in Hobart on Friday. Photograph: Incat Explore more on these topics * Tasmania * Manufacturing sector * Argentina * Transport * Americas * Energy * Greenhouse gas emissions * news Share Reuse this content Most viewed Most viewed 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. * World * Europe * US news * Americas * Asia * Australia * Middle East * Africa * Inequality * Global development * News * Opinion * Sport * Culture * Lifestyle Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning Sign up for our email * About us * Help * Complaints & corrections * Contact us * Tip us off * SecureDrop * Privacy policy * Cookie policy * Tax strategy * Terms & conditions * All topics * All writers * Newsletters * Digital newspaper archive * Bluesky * Facebook * Instagram * LinkedIn * Threads * TikTok * YouTube * Advertise with us * Guardian Labs * Search jobs * Work for us * Accessibility settings * Back to top (c) 2025 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. (dcr)