Norway orders 20 Candela P-12 electric hydrofoil ferries
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Boreal AS ordered 20 Candela P-12 electric hydrofoil ferries — described as the largest deployment of its kind to date — to operate along Norway's coastline and fjords
- Candela's P-12 uses computer-controlled carbon fiber hydrofoils that lift the hull above the water at speeds above 18 knots, cutting energy consumption by roughly 80% versus traditional vessels of similar size
- The P-12 cruises at around 25 knots (46 km/h) carrying up to 25 passengers, with a range of roughly 40 nautical miles (74 km), putting it in direct competition with the diesel 'hurtigbåtar' that currently link Norway's coastal communities
- Standard DC fast chargers — not megawatt-scale infrastructure — can recharge the P-12 in about an hour, bypassing the grid-upgrade bottleneck that has kept high-speed passenger ferries diesel-powered in remote areas
- Norway already leads the world in road EV adoption and conventional car ferry electrification, but high-speed passenger vessels have remained stubbornly diesel due to energy demands and sparse coastal grid infrastructure
- The first two vessels are expected for delivery in 2027, with the remaining 18 rolling out in stages through 2030
Why it matters: Boreal's 20-vessel order is the largest single deployment of Candela P-12 ferries to date, moving the technology from pilot programs to fleet-scale adoption. The standard-charger compatibility directly solves Norway's remote-coast grid bottleneck, and the 2027-2030 rollout gives maritime electrification a concrete fleet-replacement timeline.
Ask SkimNews
