Boreal Orders 20 Candela Electric Ferries For Use In Norway

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Norway features lots of fjords along its crenelated coastline. They are beautiful to look at, but hinder travel. People have to drive many miles to get around them, which is tedious if you need to get somewhere in a hurry, or maddening if you have to do it every day. The solution adopted in many parts of Norway is ferries — lots and lots of ferries, and all of them powered by diesel engines.

Diesel power has been key to daily life for more than a century, but it has a few drawbacks. For one, it leaves a trail of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, and fine particulates in its wake. For another, it can suddenly get quite expensive if something happens to interrupt the supply of diesel fuel — like starting a war in the Middle East.

Candela P-12 For Boreal

Candela a is a Swedish company that specializes in electric boats and ships. In a press release this week, it announced that Boreal — a major transportation company in Norway — has placed an order for 20 P-12 electric fast ferries to replace diesel ferries on some of those cross-fjord routes.

Although Norway has gone all in on electric cars, which now represent nearly 100 percent of new car sales, electrifying high-speed passenger vessels is still a challenge because the electric ferries available to date lack the range and speed to replace the diesel-powered ferries that connect coastal communities in Norway. The country has nearly 100,000 km of coastline thanks to all those fjords.

The Candela P-12 solves that problem by combining a cruising speed of 25 knots with a range of around 40 nautical miles, enabling electric operation on routes previously only served by diesel vessels. There are other benefits as well. Faster journeys translate into more frequent journeys, which makes taking a ferry more convenient for travelers.

“The Candela P-12 is the only electric passenger vessel that combines longer range with high speed without requiring extensive charging infrastructure. Our investment will enable new high-speed routes both in cities and in rural areas,” said Nikolai Knudsmoen Utheim, the CEO at Boreal. “Norway has already led the electrification of maritime transport. With this fleet, Boreal wants to take the next step — accelerating zero-emission high speed travel along the Norwegian coast and helping bring electric vessels to new markets beyond Norway.”

Computer Controlled Hydrofoils

The P-12’s unique performance comes from computer-controlled hydrofoils that lift the vessel above the water at speeds above 18 knots. Passengers will find the new electric ferries offer a major upgrade in comfort. The digital flight controller reads wave conditions using sensors and adjusts the hydrofoils in real time, ensuring a smooth ride even in rough seas while keeping cabin noise extremely low. Recent tests of the P-12 in Stockholm confirmed cabin noise levels of just 64 dB, which is lower than modern trains, aircraft, or other ferries. In fact, it is the quietest high-speed vessel currently in operation.

When the ferry is lifted out of the water by the foils, drag is drastically reduced, which lowers energy consumption by around 80 percent compared with conventional vessels of similar size. The electric ferries are already in use as part of Stockholm’s public transportation system, where they have proven to lower operating costs while reducing the environmental impact of the ferries.

The P-12 can fully recharge in one hour using Level 3 DC fast chargers developed for charging electric vehicles. That capability eliminates the need for the expensive megawatt-scale charging systems required by conventional electric ferries. In a recent demonstration, a P-12 ferry completed a voyage from Norway to Sweden during which its batteries were recharged by a mobile battery system mounted in the load bed of a Ford F-150 Lightning. That voyage is now the longest sea journey to date by an by an electric vessel. Sadly, the F-150 Lightning is no longer available, although its role in promoting electric ferries is to be celebrated.

Deliveries Begin In 2027

The first two P-12 vessels will be delivered in 2027 and will enter service on one of several routes in Norway. The remaining vessels will follow in yearly batches between 2028 and 2030. “Tourists and commuters in Norway will enjoy better service and more frequent departures—free from seasickness, silent, and without the negative impacts of wake and emissions in the unique Norwegian fjords,” says Alexander Sifvert, Candela’s European Director.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Boreal, whose ambition and leadership are helping drive the electrification of maritime transport. This initiative shows how forward-thinking operators can accelerate the shift to zero-emission travel at sea, while reducing costs,” he said.

That last part is important. Boreal is not investing in electric fast ferries to be a climate champion. It is doing it because it has identified a solid business case for using the Candela P-12 ferry. Lower fuel costs and reduced maintenance for diesel engines pencil out to make the investment profitable.

There are also intangible benefits. Every business wants happy customers, and customers who can travel more quickly in greater comfort in a passenger space that is quiet and serene are likely to take those ferries more often. More frequent scheduled trips are a plus as well. Satisfied customers bring repeat business, which is the wellspring of commerce.

Lower Cost Of Fuel — And More

One thing to keep in mind is that the cost of electricity in Norway is historically low compared to other nations. That is thanks to its more than 1700 hydropower generating stations that capture the water flowing down from the mountains into the fjords below. While the purchase of the P-12 electric ferries from Candela is not done out of altruism, this year the amount of snow in those mountains has been far less than normal, which translates into less meltwater and therefore less hydropower. Eliminating emissions from diesel engines is a small step toward addressing the changes in the Earth’s climate that threaten to destabilize all human civilization.

The electric ferries from Candela have generated an influx of orders for the Swedish company, which now has a backlog of orders totaling 65 vessels worth around €185 million. The orders in the queue include eleven boats for use in Mumbai, India, as well as ten units each for the Maldives and Thailand. Candela is focusing on building the ferries for Mumbai, where the first of those ferries are expected to enter revenue service later this year. The ferries supplied will be the recently introduced P-12 Business, which is aimed at premium passenger transport — something that one would never associate with old fashioned diesel vessels.