The world’s fastest electric ship, the Candela P-12 Shuttle, is set to hit Stockholm’s waters next year, heralding a new era of transport. The innovative hydro foiling electric ferry will reduce emissions and slash commuting times and the city believes it will make waterborne public transport more attractive than trains, buses, and cars.
With the ability to cover even the longest routes in Stockholm at high speeds, the Candela P-12 Shuttle will be used to shorten the commute between the rapidly expanding Stockholm suburb of Ekerö and the city centre. Currently a 55-minute trip by bus, subway, or conventional ferry (or even car during rush hour), the shuttle will cover the 15 km route in only 25 minutes – saving the commuter an average 50 minutes per day.
“Maritime traffic is the region’s most popular public transport, and I want to expand it. But we need better technology to travel faster and reduce climate impact. Therefore, we are happy to try this new technology for waterborne traffic. This project can contribute to solutions that we can use in Stockholm, but also provides opportunities for both exports and jobs in the Stockholm region”, says Gustav Hemming, Vice President of the Regional Executive Board in Stockholm.
Flying across the water, the 30-passenger electric vessel has a speed of 30 knots, considerably faster than any other electric ship in the world. The secret to its high speed and long range are the three carbon fibre wings that extend from under the hull. These active hydrofoils allow the ship to lift itself above the water, thus decreasing drag.
Candela’s technology reduces energy per passenger kilometre by 95% compared to current vessels, allowing for an unprecedented range of 50 nautical miles at service speed. Using the equivalent of 0.1 kWh of electricity per passenger kilometre, the ship is more energy efficient than a hybrid electric bus. Also, with up to 200 kW DC charging, it can charge its battery in under one hour.
As the hydro foiling shuttle creates near zero wake, it has been granted an exemption from the 12-knot speed limit, allowing it to fly into the city centre without causing wave damage to other vessels or sensitive shorelines. In fact, the miniscule propeller wash is considerably smaller than the wake from conventional passenger ships travelling at slow speeds.
There’s no other ship that has this kind of active electronic stabilization. Flying aboard the P-12 Shuttle in rough seas will feel more like being on a modern express train than on a boat: it’s quiet, smooth and stable.
Erik Eklund, Vice President, Commercial Vessels at Candela
The Region of Stockholm will operate the first P-12 Shuttle ship for a nine-month trial period during 2023. If it meets the high expectations placed on it, the hope is that the city’s fleet of over 70 diesel vessels eventually will be replaced by P-12 Shuttles – but also that land transport from congested highways can shift to the waterways.
Candela’s vision is to replace today’s large, predominantly diesel, ships with nimble fleets of faster and smaller P-12 Shuttles, allowing for more frequent departures and more passengers carried, at a lower cost for the operator. On the Stockholm-Ekerö route, Candela’s proposal is to replace the current pair of 200-person diesel vessels with at least five P-12 Shuttles, which would double passenger volume potential and lower operating cost.
Candela will be laying the carbon fibre keel for the very first P-12 Shuttle at the company’s new, automated factory in Rotebro, outside Stockholm, towards the end of 2022. The first P-12 Shuttle will be followed by many more, as serial production ramps up. Using production methods already streamlined for their leisure boat manufacturing, Candela aims to eventually build hundreds of P-12 Shuttles a year.
