Hundreds of people gathered at the Incat shipyard in Hobart on 1 May 2025 to witness a milestone in global shipbuilding, as Incat Hull 096 – the world’s largest battery-electric ship – was officially launched.
Constructed for South American ferry operator Buquebus, Hull 096 is the most significant vessel ever built by Incat and represents a giant leap forward in sustainable shipping. 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,” said Incat Chairman Robert Clifford. “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 the ninth Incat-built vessel for Buquebus, continuing a proud and long-standing partnership between the two companies.
The ship is equipped with over 250 tonnes of batteries and an Energy Storage System (ESS) boasting more than 40 megawatt-hours 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. This combination of technology sets a new global benchmark for the shipping industry.
