Worlds largest electric ship launched by Tasmanian boatbuilder
A Tasmanian-built battery-electric ferry, touted as the world’s largest, is drawing interest for its 40 MWh capacity and 60 km service route between Buenos Aires and Colonia del Sacramento. Commenters examine how it will actually operate: rapid high‑power charging at each terminal, aluminum construction, and water‑jet propulsion tailored to shallow waters, while noting it must be shipped to South America on a heavy‑lift vessel. Much of the debate centers on whether covering its large roof in solar panels would meaningfully extend range or cut costs, with most arguing that port‑side solar and grid power remain more practical than maintaining photovoltaics at sea.
Solar on the ship vs shore-based solar
- Big debate on whether the flat roof should be covered in PV.
- Critics:
- Surface area is too small relative to energy use; effect on range would be negligible (likened to solar on cars).
- Extra weight, complexity, safety procedures, and harsh marine environment raise costs; much cheaper and more reliable to put solar on land at terminals.
- Detailed back-of-envelope math suggests even 100 roof modules would add only a small fraction of daily energy needs.
- Supporters:
- Panels could offset “hotel load” (lighting, electronics, HVAC), slightly extending range and cutting shore charging costs.
- Useful as emergency “lifeboat” power for heat, desalination, and basic systems if stranded.
- Some small-boat experiences cited to argue that even modest solar is valuable, though others say that doesn’t scale to large ferries.
- Several comments stress that any “5–10% range” claim is speculative and likely overstated; exact benefit remains unclear.
Energy use, range, and charging
- Ship has about 40 MWh of batteries (≈250 tonnes), reportedly enough for roughly 40 nautical miles / 90 minutes.
- Operates between Buenos Aires and Colonia (~60 km), with DC fast charging at both ends; a full charge takes ~40 minutes, per linked technical article.
- Comparison to planes, bikes, and maglevs is seen as apples-to-oranges; water drag is much higher than road or air.
- Similar Scandinavian electric ferries recharge during loading/unloading, drawing 10–40 MW from shore; that model is expected here too.
Design and construction details
- Built from aluminum rather than steel for large weight savings and efficiency; the yard specializes in this.
- Uses waterjet propulsion for the shallow Río de la Plata estuary instead of propellers.
- Discussion on how to deliver it to South America: likely via heavy-lift “float-on/float-off” ship; route timing and bad-weather capes are concerns.
Economics and broader context
- Battery system replaces ~700 tonnes of engines, gearboxes, cryogenic tanks, and fuel from the originally planned dual-fuel design.
- Cost context: other ferries range from single-digit millions for used ICE vessels to hundreds of millions for new large hybrids; one source claims this ship is around $200M.
- Some note that electrifying ferries where grid power is mostly heavy fuel oil may limit environmental benefits.
- Experiences with other electric ferries (e.g., Øresund) are very positive: quiet, no fumes, smooth ride.
Miscellaneous
- Some criticize the ship’s aesthetics; others share construction photos.
- Brief nitpicking over “largest electric ship” vs nuclear or diesel-electric vessels, with clarification that many of those are not pure battery-electric.