Swedish shipyard Candela has published an announcement that a fleet of eight P-12 electric foilers will spread across the Red Sea and help passengers move to a new tourist destination: they will help form a marine network around NEOM, which is being built off the coast of Saudi Arabia.
NEOM has procured an initial batch of eight electric transport vessels, making it the largest announced order in Candela's history.
Announced in June 2022 and launched in November 2023, the P-12 is the fourth model in Candela's fleet, following the C-7, C-8 and P-8 Voyagers that debuted in 2020, 2021 and in 2022, respectively. The zero-emission 39-footer "flies" over the waves using computer-controlled hydrofoils that adjust 100 times per second to ensure smoothness and stability. Candela says the P-12 uses 80 percent less energy than conventional transport ships and will emit 97.5 percent less CO2 over its lifetime than a traditional diesel-powered vessel of the same size.
"The P-12 is designed for zero-emission mobility that has significant improvements over traditional mobility," says Gustav Hasselskog, CEO and founder of Candela.
“Unlike legacy systems with large, slow and energy-inefficient conventional ships, the Candela P-12 is a smaller and faster unit, allowing for much more frequent departures and faster journeys for passengers. All daily needs and services will be a short distance away by boat.”
The P-12 is equipped with two C-POD electric motors and four 63 kWh batteries, giving it a top speed of 30 knots and a range of 40 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 25 knots. The fleet serving the Red Sea will be able to carry up to 30 passengers to the northwest coast of Saudi Arabia.
The P-12 will make its debut as part of Stockholm's public transport system this fall. The NEOM fleet will then be delivered in 2025 and early 2026.
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