NEOM has ordered a fleet of electric hydrofoil watercraft from Candela to be deployed on the Red Sea as part of its development in Northwest Saudi Arabia.
Initially, NEOM has ordered 8 electric Candela P-12 crafts, making it the largest order in Candela’s history.
The Candela P-12 was launched last year and is set to debut in Stockholm’s public transport network this autumn.
The craft flies above the waves on computer-guided hydrofoils, thus using 80% less energy than conventional vessels.
The model combines long range and high speed for the first time in an electric vessel. It has a speed of 25 knots and more than 2 hours of endurance, making it the fastest and longest-range electric passenger ship to date.
Gustav Hasselskog, CEO and founder of Candela said:The P-12 is designed to create zero-emission water transport systems which have significant improvements over traditional water commuting.
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.
The P-12’s hydrofoils also offer a more comfortable ride for passengers. The unit’s digital flight control system balances the ship at a rate of 100 times per second by adjusting the hydrofoils’ angle to keep it stable in winds and waves.
What’s more, the electric Candela C-POD motors, located in pods underwater, are remarkably silent, thus causing minimal disturbance for marine wildlife.
Hasselskog added:We’re extremely proud to provide a vessel system designed with both passengers and the environment in mind. Short waiting times, quick connections, and a very enjoyable experience without taxing the environment with wakes, emissions, and noise will revolutionise how we travel on water.
The Candela P-12 can seat between 20 and 30 people depending on configuration.
The first batch of 8 boats will be delivered in 2025 and early 2026.
