Wärtsilä, Incat Tasmania join hands on electric lightweight ferry design

Finnish technology company Wärtsilä has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Australian catamaran builder Incat Tasmania to work on the design of the next-generation lightweight aluminium catamaran.

Under the agreement, the partners will work on the design and development of integrated e-packages for electrical vessels, including battery electric, power distribution and management systems.  

Furthermore, they will conduct an early-stage propulsor comparison study based on a preliminary vessel design. This will also include developing and optimizing propulsion systems, optimized for the operating profile of the catamaran.

“We are extremely delighted and proud to be part of Incat Tasmania’s “full electric” revolution. Ship electrification is one key solution in enabling zero emission operations for the maritime industry,” Wärtsilä commented.

In August this year, the Finnish firm revealed it will provide its battery-electric propulsion system and waterjets for the world’s largest battery-electric ferry.

The vessel is a new Ro-Pax ferry being built by Incat Tasmania and has been ordered by South American shipowner Buquebús. 

The ferry will be fully battery powered, with e-motor driven Wärtsilä waterjets as the main propulsors. The battery modules and energy storage system package is four times larger than on any electric/hybrid ship currently operating.