Fully electric ferry begins sailings between Argentina and Uruguay

Ferry operator Buquebus’s China Zorrilla is powered by a 41 MWh battery system and can sail for up to 1.5 hours on battery power.

IMAGE: China Zorrilla. Buquebus

Norwegian battery maker Corvus Energy said the battery system installed on China Zorrilla is the largest marine battery installation currently in operation on a ship, with around four times the capacity of any previously fitted to a commercial vessel.

The company said the vessel is South America's first fully electric ship of its kind, highlighting the spread of battery-electric shipping beyond early-adopter markets in northern Europe.

"This project proves that battery-electric propulsion is no longer limited to smaller ferries or short routes," said Ole Jacob Irgens, executive vice president and head of sales at Corvus.

Finnish technology company Wärtsilä picked Corvus in 2023 to supply the battery system for the vessel, which Australian shipbuilder Incat Tasmania built.

By Gautamee Hazarika

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