China Zorrilla (ship)
China Zorrilla at the Incat shipyard in June 2025 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Uruguay | |
| Name | China Zorrilla |
| Namesake | China Zorrilla |
| Owner | 2025–present: Buquebus |
| Route | Buenos Aires—Colonia del Sacramento (55-60 km) in 90 minutes |
| Builder | Incat, Hobart, Australia |
| Cost | $200 million |
| Yard number | 096 |
| Launched | 2 May 2025 |
| In service | early 2026 (scheduled) |
| Home port | Montevideo, Uruguay |
| Identification | IMO number: 9916678 |
| Status | Under construction |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 14,000 GT |
| Length | 130 m (430 ft) |
| Beam | 32 m (105 ft) |
| Propulsion | 40 MWh battery, 8×2.4 MW electric motors driving 8 Wärtsilä WXJ1100 Waterjets |
| Speed | 25 kn (46 km/h) |
| Capacity | 225 cars and 2,100 passengers |
China Zorrilla is a battery electric roll-on/roll-off catamaran ferry, scheduled to commence operation in 2026 by Buquebus across the Río de la Plata connecting Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Built in Hobart, Australia by Incat under the provisional name of Hull 096 and launched in May 2025 with a cost of $200 million, it is the largest fully electric ship, and largest battery electric vehicle of any kind, in the world.
It was named in honor of the Uruguayan grande dame and actress China Zorrilla (1922–2014), who developed her acting career in stage and screen in both Argentina and Uruguay, as a representative of rioplatense culture.