Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published Jun 23, 2022 10:45 PM by The Maritime Executive

A startup in Stockholm, Sweden is set to unveil what it believes to be the world's "fastest electric ship" - a hydrofoiling electric ferry with a top speed of 30 knots. 

The 30-passenger, 40-foot Candela P-12 is designed for public transport along Stockholm's waterways, and would give commuters in outlying bedroom communities a much faster connection to downtown. The prototype vessel will connect the suburb of Ekerö with Stockholm city, and will cut the commute time nearly in half. 

"This will have a huge positive impact on people’s lives – you can work one more hour or pick up your kids from school one hour earlier," says Erik Eklund, Vice President of Commercial Vessels at Candela.

The vessel's high speeds come courtesy of three carbon fiber hydrofoils, which lift the catamaran hull out of the water during operation, cutting down drag. This gives the Candela P-12 a top speed of 30 knots and a maximum range of 50 nm per charge.

With a DC charging station, the vessel can recharge in less than an hour. Small and nimble, the boat will run at higher average passenger capacity than the city's current 300-passenger ferries, and with more much more frequent departures. 

Advanced, computerized active stabilization will smooth the ride, adjusting the hydrofoils 100 times per second. This will cut down on vessel motion and keep passengers comfortable. "There’s no other ship that has this kind of active electronic stabilization," says Eklund. "Flying aboard the P-12 Shuttle in rough seas will feel more like being on a modern express train than on a boat."

The keel-laying for the first prototype is scheduled for the end of this year. After first tests, commuters in Stockholm could get to board the vessel as early as next year. The eventual objective is to roll out a fleet of Candela P-12s to replace the city's aging diesel ferries. 

Candela is the latest in a growing number of hydrofoiling electric ferry startups. California-based Boundary Layer Technologies has plans for a larger vessel with room for 240 and a top speed of 40 knots; Kitsap Transit and Washington Maritime Blue have studied a novel design for use on the Puget Sound; and UK-based Artemis Technologies is developing a high-tech ferry based on America's Cup technology, with support from Gunvor and the UK government. 

Published Jun 24, 2022 4:23 PM by The Maritime Executive

The German government confirmed that it has entered a bid to acquire the Rostock shipyard that formerly belong to the now defunct MV Werften group that financially collapsed in January 2022 after it failed to win additional loans from the government and its banks. The insolvency liquidator for the group reports that bidding for the shipyard located in the former East Germany will be closing today. The German Navy reportedly working with the Federal Agency for Real Estate Tasks and...

Published Jun 24, 2022 3:20 PM by The Maritime Executive

Matson Navigation is moving forward with a plan to retrofit one of its large containerships for LNG-fueled operations making it one of the first shipping companies to pursue the conversion of their existing ships. MAN Energy Solutions reports that it has signed a contract for the retrofit of the main engine aboard the 2018-built Daniel K. Inouye along with an option for an unnamed second vessel, likely her sistership Kaimana Hila also built at Philly Shipyard and delivered in 2019....

Published Jun 24, 2022 1:31 PM by The Maritime Executive

Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines announced participation in a second project to develop an ammonia-fueled vessel. Working with Japanese shipbuilders Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding and Tsuneishi Shipbuilding they are targeting 2026 for the introduction of the vessel, which they expect will be the first net zero-emission ocean-going vessel under MOL’s long-term environmental plan. The new joint project announced between the three companies is aimed at developing and building an ocean-going liquefied gas carrier that will use ammonia as its main...

Published Jun 24, 2022 12:46 PM by The Maritime Executive

Firefighters in Belgium are struggling to put out a stubborn cargo fire on a bulker docked at the port of Ghent. They expect the fire will burn for at least 24 hours and possibly longer while warning residents and drivers to be cautious due to the thick smoke in the area. The bulker Lowlands Mimosa is docked at the Sifferdok in Ghent. The 63,939 dwt vessel is managed by CLdN Cobelfret and reported loaded with a cargo of scrap metal....

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