Australian shipbuilder Incat has begun conducting harbour trials of what it says is the largest battery-electric vessel ever constructed.
The vessel, a catamaran Ro-Pax ferry, has moved under its own battery-electric propulsion, thus indicating the transition from construction to operational testing for the 130-metre ship.
The harbour trials will see the vessel undertake a carefully managed series of movements on the Derwent River in Tasmania, allowing crews to test propulsion, manoeuvrability, control systems, and onboard operational performance in real-world conditions.
Incat said the trials represent the first time a ship of this size and passenger-vehicle capacity has operated solely on battery power anywhere in the world.
Incat Chairman Robert Clifford said that moving the ferry under its own battery-electric power, "confirms that electric propulsion is viable for large commercial vessels."
The harbour trials will form part of an extensive testing and commissioning program that will continue in the lead-up to the vessel's delivery to Uruguayan river transport company Buquebus.
