The maritime industry, which includes shipping and transportation by sea, accounts for 3% of worldwide greenhouse gases (GHG), a substantial portion of global emissions.
1. Incat Hull
Incat Tasmania has announced plans of switching from liquefied natural gas (LNG) to all-electric propulsion for their upcoming Incat Hull 096. The 130-meter ferry, currently under construction at the shipyard, will reach the feat of being the world’s largest aluminum-hulled ship, but also the world’s largest battery electric vessel. Set for delivery in 2025 for its longtime customer Buquebús, Incat Hull 096 will operate between Argentina and Uruguay with a capacity for 2,100 passengers and crew and 225 cars and will also include a duty-free shop of over 2,000 square meters on the first level.
We are proud to be building in Tasmania this first in class ship for Buquebús, who, like us, share a vision to be at the leading edge of low emission shipping in the world.
Robert Clifford, Incat’s CEO
2. Descarbonising the maritime sector
The adoption of electric vessels is growing as the pressure is on for the maritime industry to decarbonize. As technology advances, the sector seeks cleaner and more sustainable transportation solutions. Incat Tasmania said the interest in these battery electric ships is very positive and a dedicated team is already working towards the construction of its second, but smaller, battery-electric vehicle/passenger ferry. Robert Clifford, Incat’s CEO, said the company is increasing its workforce and has recently finalized plans for the recruitment of at least another 200 employees over the next 12 months with the expectation to more than double in coming years.
Incat has always been an innovator and once again we are leading the world and the world is taking notice.
Robert Clifford, Incat’s CEO
The combination of high-speed catamarans and a commitment to passenger comfort and efficiency has allowed Buquebús to provide a popular and competitive ferry service between two major South American cities. This partnership has played a significant role in enhancing connectivity and transportation options for people traveling between Argentina and Uruguay across the Río de la Plata.
“The build of the Buquebús ship is leading the world in this type of ship construction and will have leading edge technology in terms of zero emissions propulsion and storage systems. Once in operation the shore-side charging systems will have 50% more capacity than any current installation world-wide,” said Incat managing director Craig Clifford. He added that, in line with the Australian Federal Government’s plan for decarbonizing the economy, 100% renewable energy and net zero emissions have been achieved in Tasmania, noting that “we are ideally placed to build zero emission ships for the world.”
3. Storage solutions
The switch to all-electric is being led by Corvus Energy — the largest battery system installed onboard a ship. With more than 40 MWh of energy storage, the Incat Hull 096 will boast four times more power capacity than the current largest installation. The electrical system integrator for the vessel will have e-motor driven Wärtsilä waterjets as its main propulsors.
“The overall high-efficiency of this next-generation ferry represents a game-changing advance in catamaran design,” said Roger Holm, president of Wärtsilä’s Marine Power business. “The battery power pack that we are supplying will be the largest ever supplied, with a unique eight waterjet propulsor configuration. The eight e-motor waterjet propulsion configuration is the most efficient available on today’s market for this speed range and type application while boasting all the benefits from Wärtsilä’s axial flow waterjet technology – low weight, shallow draft, superb maneuevrability, and low maintenance.”
