Norway to Deploy World’s Largest Fleet of ‘Flying’ Electric Ferries
[By: Candela Technology]
Soon, tourists and commuters along Norway’s stunning coastline will travel aboard “flying” electric ferries.
Norwegian operator Boreal AS—a leader in sustainable transport—has ordered 20 Candela P-12 electric hydrofoil vessels from Sweden’s Candela Technology, marking the world’s largest electric fleet to date.
The uniquely fast and silent hydrofoiling vessels will speed up commuting along Norway’s fjord-lined coast, where water travel is an essential part of daily transport.
Norway is already the world’s most electrified car market, with around 99% of new car sales fully electric. Electrifying high-speed passenger vessels—“hurtigbåtar,” the backbone of rural transport—has, however, remained challenging, as conventional e-ferries lack the range and speed to replace the diesel-powered fast ferries connecting communities across the country’s deep fjords and more than 100,000 kilometers of coastline.
The Candela P-12, however, solves this: it combines a cruising speed of 25 knots with a range of around 40 nautical miles, enabling electric operation on routes previously only served by diesel vessels. Furthermore, the large fleet of 20 vessels will provide more frequent departures, and speed up travel times.
“Candela P-12 is the only electric passenger vessel that combines longer range with high speed without requiring extensive charging infrastructure. Our investment will enable new high-speed routes both in cities and in rural areas,” says Nikolai Knudsmoen Utheim, CEO at Boreal. “Norway has already led the electrification of maritime transport. With this fleet, Boreal wants to take the next step—accelerating zero-emission high-speed travel along the Norwegian coast and helping bring electric vessels to new markets beyond Norway.”
The P-12’s unique performance comes from computer-controlled hydrofoils—wings mounted beneath the hull—that lift the vessel above the water at speeds above 18 knots. By flying above the waves, drag is drastically reduced, and energy consumption drops by around 80 percent compared with conventional vessels of similar size. Already in successful use in Stockholm's public transport, the P-12 has been hailed as a “game-changer” for transport, combining lower operational costs with low environmental impact.
Furthermore, the efficient P-12 can fully recharge in an hour using standard DC car fast chargers, avoiding the expensive megawatt-scale charging systems required by conventional electric ferries. The capability was recently demonstrated during a voyage between Sweden and Norway, when the P-12 completed the longest electric sea journey to date, recharging along the route using a mobile battery system transported by a Ford F-150 Lightning pickup.
The first two P-12 vessels will be delivered in 2027 and are planned to enter service on one of several potential routes currently being explored in Norway and abroad. The remaining vessels will follow in yearly batches between 2028 and 2030.
Passengers will also see a major upgrade in comfort. The vessel's digital Flight controller reads wave conditions using sensors and adjusts the hydrofoils in real time, ensuring a smooth ride even in rough seas while keeping cabin noise extremely low.
Recent tests of the P-12 in Stockholm confirmed cabin noise levels of just 64 dB—lower than modern trains, aircraft, or ferries—making it the quietest high-speed vessel in operation.
“Tourists and commuters in Norway will enjoy better service and more frequent departures—free from seasickness, silent, and without the negative impacts of wake and emissions in the unique Norwegian fjords,” says Alexander Sifvert, Candela’s European Director.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Boreal, whose ambition and leadership are helping drive the electrification of maritime transport. This initiative shows how forward-thinking operators can accelerate the shift to zero-emission travel at sea, while reducing costs.”
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
Meyer Werft Presents “Vision” for a Battery-Electric Cruise Ship
The German shipbuilder Meyer Werft, well known for its innovation in cruise ship design and construction, is presenting a new concept for the world’s first 100 percent battery-electric cruise ship with a size of more than 80,000 gross tons, which it aptly named Project “Vision.” It reports that the concept study demonstrates how sustainable innovations can redefine the future of the cruise industry while emphasizing the technology concepts that already exist to make a large, battery-electric cruise ship a reality.
“We asked ourselves how we can use innovation to reduce CO2 and contribute to decarbonization — not in 50 years, but much sooner,” explains Tim Krug from the Meyer Werft Concept Development Group. With this design, he emphasizes, they can “enable a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of up to 95 percent.”
Meyer Werft transitioned into cruise ship construction in the 1980s, starting with 40,000 to 45,000 gross ton ships. Over the decades, it expanded its capabilities and introduced innovative solutions, including the AIDAnova (183,900 gross tons), introduced in 2018 as the first LNG-fueled cruise ship.
The concept for Project “Vision” is based on a ship around 82,000 gross tons. It would be 275 meters (just over 900 feet) long and have accommodations for 1,856 passengers.
“With battery-electric cruise ships, we offer a competitive product that relies on existing technologies,” says Johannes Bade, who is overseeing the development program for “Vision” at Meyer Werft. “We are opening up entirely new opportunities for our customers to operate sustainably and profitably in the long term.”
Battery-electric would eliminate main engines and the need for exhaust stacks, providing a new style of outdoor decks (Meyer Werft)
A few cruise ship companies have incorporated batteries into their vessels. Hurtigruten Explorations put batteries on its vessels, and Havila demonstrated batteries during a first-ever sailing in the Geirangerfjord in 2022. However, these systems have limited durations and are challenged to meet the large power needs of the hotel operation.
Meyer Werft explains that the battery system for its concept ship would come from Norway’s Corvus Energy. It says the technology is available today, and if ordered this year, it could deliver the first ship in 2031.
With the battery system, a large portion of typical European cruise routes can be covered, for example, the route from Barcelona to Civitavecchia. By 2030, Meyer Werft highlights that around one hundred ports across Europe will offer the required shore power charging infrastructure.
Project “Vision” also takes advantage of the benefits of batteries to introduce a new architectural approach to cruise ship design. It is possible to eliminate the current vertical shaft running through the ship for exhaust treatment and the funnel. Meyer Werft imagines a new sun deck design with unobstructed views and without the exhaust from the engines. The elimination of main engines would also improve onboard comfort, with even fewer engine noises and vibrations.
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