It is the largest electric transportation device in the world. The batteries alone weigh 250 tons

"Electric cars no longer surprise anyone, the first electric planes are appearing, but a large passenger ship? Australia has amazed the world.

The 130-meter Hull 096 is not only the largest electric ship in the world, but also the largest electric vehicle ever built. It was launched on May 2 at the Incat shipyard in Hobart, Australia.

It is to be used by the South American ferry operator Buquebus and sail between Buenos Aires in Argentina and Uruguay. It will take 2,100 passengers and 225 vehicles on board.

The largest electric ship in the world

- This is a historic day - not only for Incat, but for the future of maritime transport - said Robert Clifford, CEO of Incat. - We have been building ships in Tasmania for over four decades, but Hull 096 is a game changer.

The ship was originally supposed to be called China Zorrilla and powered by LNG, but the client and the manufacturer decided on a revolutionary change.

The ferry is equipped with more than 250 tonnes of batteries connected to eight engines supplied by Wärtsilä.

"Ferries play a key role in meeting the growing demand for sustainable transport options, and electrification of ships is a key solution to enable the sector to move towards net zero emissions," said Roger Holm, CEO of Wärtsilä Marine, in a press release.

The ship will be completed later this year and will then begin sea trials on the Derwent River.

What fuel does the ships use?

Currently, the most common fuel at sea is fuel oil, a high-sulphur oil created from the residues of crude oil refining. Alternative fuels such as ammonia, methanol and hydrogen are only used on a limited scale. In recent years, additional sail propulsion has also been experimented with, and several cargo ships equipped with this solution are already sailing the oceans.

It is estimated that up to 85 percent of global transport is carried out by sea (over 10 billion tons per year). Ships have a very large share in global carbon dioxide emissions, reaching 2.5-3 percent.”