In a first for the region, and possibly the world, a fleet of foiling, electric ‘flying’ ships is heading to Saudi Arabia’s NEOM.
Supplied by Candela, the P-12, the world’s first electric hydrofoil ship, will service the planned water network in NEOM, the gigantic, sustainable development taking shape in northwestern KSA. NEOM has taken an initial batch of eight of the foiling, electric shuttle ships, making it the largest order in Candela’s history.
“The P-12 is designed to create zeroe-mission water transport systems which have significant improvements over traditional water commuting,” says Gustav Hasselskog, CEO and founder of Candela.
“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. All daily necessities and services will be just a short boat commute away.”
Flying above the waves on computer-guided underwater wings, hydrofoils, the P-12 uses 80% less energy than conventional ships, allowing it to combine long range and high speed for the first time in an electric vessel. With a speed of 25 knots and more than two hours of endurance, the Candela P-12 holds the distinction of being the fastest and longest-range electric passenger ship to date.
The hydrofoils also unlock a new level of comfort. Passengers will fly smoothly over the Red Sea, as the P-12’s digital flight control system balances the ship 100 times per second by adjusting the hydrofoils’ angle of attack, keeping it stable even in winds and waves.
Since Candela’s foiling vessels use 80% less energy than conventional ships of the same size, a life cycle analysis performed by the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm concluded that a P-12 will emit 97.5% less CO2 during its lifetime compared to a conventional diesel vessel of the same size.
The Candela P-12 seats between 20 and 30 people depending on configuration. Its motors, located in pods underwater, are exceptionally silent and create minimal disturbance for marine wildlife as well as a negligible wake, allowing for quicker journeys where conventional ships are restricted.
“We’re extremely proud to provide a vessel system designed with both passengers and the environment in mind,” said Gustav Hasselskog.