Arabic version: وصول «بلاك مارلن» لنقل العبّارة الكهربائية التابعة لتاسمانيا

According to ABC News, the Dutch-operated heavy-lift transporter MV Black Marlin has anchored in Hobart’s River Derwent to carry Incat’s battery-electric ferry, China Zorrilla, to South America. The 217-metre-long, 42-metre-wide vessel arrived from South Africa and anchored 1.5 kilometres off Tranmere on Hobart’s eastern shore.

Black Marlin is one of the biggest ships ever to enter the River Derwent. It will transport Incat’s Hull 096, described as the world’s largest electric-powered vessel of its kind. The ferry, completed in May last year and named after a Uruguayan actress, can carry up to 2,100 passengers.

Built for South American ferry company Buquebus, China Zorrilla is intended to operate on the Rio de la Plata route between Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay and Buenos Aires in Argentina. Its shipment had been ready in April, but the originally booked heavy-lift vessel became stuck in the Persian Gulf because of the US-Iran conflict. Black Marlin was secured in June.

Incat chairman Robert Clifford said the loading would be among the most significant maritime operations undertaken in Tasmania. The operation involves crews from Boksalis, Incat and TasPorts, will take several days, and will have a 500-metre exclusion zone. Black Marlin’s cargo deck is due to be submerged overnight on Wednesday, a process expected to take 10 hours.

On Thursday, the ferry is scheduled to move from Macquarie Wharf to the transporter, with tugboats positioning it on a cradle above the submerged deck. Pumping out the water to lift the deck is also expected to take 10 hours, before the ferry is chained down. The journey to South America is expected to take about 40 days, with the unloading operation to be repeated in Buenos Aires.