Saudi Arabia and Germany have recently purchased electric ferries from Swedish boat company Candela. The eight P-12 ferries purchased for the new NEOM desert megacity in Saudi Arabia is the biggest order of the P-12 ferries in Candela’s history.
To create the ‘floating’ look, Candela uses computer-controlled hydrofoils to automatically lift its boats out of the water, making its batteries last longer while the boats are able to travel faster and farther.
The boat not only reduces the energy required for commercial ferry systems but also offers a smooth and comfortable ride. Since the boat doesn’t rock or crash over waves, even passengers prone to sea sickness find the ride comfortable.
The company started with speedboats for recreational boaters but has since expanded into commercial vessels by applying its technology and designs to multiple sizes of flying ferries. The P-12 was first launched in 2023 and will begin operations as part of Stockholm’s public transit system later this year.
– Unlike legacy systems with large, slow, and energy-inefficient conventional ferries, the Candela P-12 is a smaller and faster unit, allowing much more frequent departures and quicker journeys for passengers, said Gustav Hasselskog, CEO and founder of Candela.
Electric ferries on the Spree
It was also recently announced that the electric ferry has been purchased by Rederei Riedel in Berlin, where it will be used to connect the eastern city centre with the event venue Funkhaus. Other than decreasing emissions, the new ferry will decrease the travelling time from about 30 minutes to 10 minutes.
But Candela doesn’t stop there. Now, the company is looking towards London and Paris, among other European countries, as well as the US, Asia and specifically the Maldives. The company aims to become the largest manufacturer of passenger ferries in the world. In five years, Candela expects to produce 400 ferries per year.
