Candela has signed a deal to service the planned water network in NEOM, the gigantic, sustainable development taking shape in Northwest Saudi Arabia with its P-12 electric hydrofoil ship.
NEOM has procured an initial batch of eight of the foiling, electric shuttle ships for the Red Sea project, making it the largest announced order in Candela’s history.
“The P-12 is designed to create zero-emission water transport systems which have significant improvements over traditional water commuting,” explained 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.”
The P-12 is designed to create zero-emission water transport systems which have significant improvements over traditional water commuting,
Gustav Hasselskog, CEO and founder of Candela
The Candela P-12 was launched last year and is set to debut in Stockholm’s public transport during later in 2024.
The foiling vessel has a speed of 25 knots and more than two hours of endurance.
The P-12’s digital flight control system has been developed to balance the ship 100 times per second by adjusting the hydrofoils’ angle of attack, keeping it stable even in winds and waves.
The electric Candela C-POD motors, located in pods underwater, are silent and create minimal disturbance for marine wildlife and when foiling, the P-12 creates only a negligible wake and uses 80% less energy than conventional ships of the same size.
“We’re extremely proud to provide a vessel system designed with both passengers and the environment in mind,” added Gustav. “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 vessels will be delivered in 2025 and early 2026.
