The confirmation by Tasmanian aluminium shipbuilder Incat that it will be building the world’s largest full-electric ferry – a 130-metre lightweight ferry that will carry 2100 passengers and 226 vehicles for Buquebús on the River Plate link between Montevideo and Argentina – will attract attention for the size of the battery installation, and the transformative implications for the short-sea market.

The implications for the introduction of lighter weight NMC batteries for the shortsea ferry market are profound, and are likely to accelerate the introduction of hybrid and full-electric designs into the segment. The Motorship has repeatedly focused on the transformative implications of new battery chemistries for the expansion of battery-hybrid and full-electric installations within the short-sea market.

However, the transformative effects of an acceleration of electrification in the maritime market will also be seen in the ship recycling sector, as the high value of battery materials is likely to impact end-of-life considerations. At present, the largest proportion of the value of material recovered from ship recycling is steel scrap, as we note in a feature on the consultation on the reforms to the EU Ship Recycling Regulations today.