The world’s fastest electric boat will soon cruise the archipelago around Stockholm to make public water transport more attractive. The Candela P-12 Shuttle will go into service in the Swedish capital next year, and its makers claim that the ship is not only the fastest of its kind, with a speed of 30 knots, but also the most energy-efficient electric boat ever. It aims to make public sea transport in the city more attractive than trains, buses and cars.
Stockholm’s ‘flying boat’
The floating shuttle has three carbon fiber wings that protrude from under the hull, allowing the ship to rise above the water, reducing drag and increasing speed and stability. The ferry “flies” over water and will take commuters between Ekerö, a fast-growing neighborhood in a suburb of Stockholm, and the city center “faster than competing metro and bus lines, as well as by car during rush hours,” the company said the statement. Candela P-12 Shuttle covers the 15 km route in just 25 minutes, saving travelers about 50 minutes daily.
‘Quiet, smooth and stable.’
Due to its innovative design, the ship produces “almost zero wake.” It has been exempted from the 12-knot speed limit in the Stockholm area, meaning it can cruise at full speed and approach the city center without wave damage to other ships or creating delicate coastlines.
“No other ship has this kind of active electronic stabilization. Flying aboard the P-12 shuttle in rough seas will feel more like a modern express train than a ship: It is quiet, calm and stable.” Erik Eklund, vice president of merchant shipping at Candela, said. Thanks to its state-of-the-art technology, the world’s fastest electric ferry can compete in cost per kilometer and can be deployed on new routes without massive investments in infrastructure, as it only needs a dock and electricity. The Candela ferry will begin a nine-month trial in 2023, and if it lives up to high expectations, it is hoped to eventually replace the city’s fleet of more than 70 diesel vessels.
