World’s largest: 426-foot-long electric ship begins harbor trials

Australian shipbuilder Incat Tasmania has begun harbor trials for Hull 096, a 426-foot (130-meter) vessel recognized as the world’s largest battery-electric ship. Conducted on the River Derwent in Hobart, these trials mark the first time the aluminum-framed ship has moved under its own battery-electric power, testing its propulsion, handling, and systems in real-world conditions. Hull 096 is powered by over 5,000 batteries with a combined capacity of 40 MWh—four times the battery power of any previous maritime vessel—and features eight electric waterjets. Designed to carry 2,100 passengers and 225 vehicles, it aims to operate on a zero-emission basis along the Rio de la Plata route between Montevideo, Uruguay, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. The ferry, which took over two years to develop, is expected to reach speeds exceeding 25 knots during trials and has an operational battery endurance of approximately 90 minutes at cruising speed, sufficient for its one