World's Largest Electric Vessel is Set to Begin Service on Rio de la Plata
The heavy-lift ship Black Marlin has successfully delivered the world's largest electric ferry, the China Zorrilla. The Australian-made vessel is the world's largest electric vehicle of any kind, and it will operate on a 30-nautical-mile run across the Rio de la Plata between Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
China Zorrilla is an aluminum fast-ferry design constructed at the Incat yard in Tasmania. Capable of carrying up to 225 vehicles and 2,100 passengers, it is physically larger and has a larger battery bank than any other battery-electric vessel. It was loaded out on Boskalis' Black Marlin in July for the 40-day eastbound journey to the Rio de la Plata. The ship and its ship-cargo then transited the Pacific and the Strait of Magellan to reach the Atlantic. On arrival at Nueva Palmira, Uruguay, Black Marlin waited for favorable weather, then ballasted down far enough to float the ferry off its deck, reversing the procedure used in Tasmania for loading.
El China Zorrilla en Nueva Palmira ???????? aun embarcado. Video que distribuyó Buquebus pic.twitter.com/M9T8ikvVOG
— Sir Chandler Blog (@SirChandlerBlog) September 13, 2026
"Hull 096 [China Zorrilla] has been the biggest and most ambitious project in our company’s history," said Incat Chairman Robert Clifford in a statement. "Thousands of people have played a part in bringing this remarkable vessel to life, and they should all be incredibly proud of what has been accomplished."
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Incat is now engaged in building a series of three 129-meter electric ferries for Denmark's Molslinjen - the largest ferry electrification program (across multiple vessels) in the world. The new vessels will operate in the Kattegat, a high-profile assignment.
"China" Zorrilla (originally Concepción Matilde Zorrilla) was a locally-famous actress who made her name in the Uruguayan and Argentinian theater scenes, appearing in countless plays, movies and television shows from the 1950s up through at least 2007. She passed away in 2014.
