Currently a 55-minute trip by bus, subway, or conventional ferry (or even car, during rush hour), the Candela P-12 Shuttle will cover the 15 km route in only 25 minutes – saving the commuter an average 50 minutes per day.
This will have a huge positive impact on people’s lives – you can work one more hour or pick up your children from school one hour earlier, says Erik Eklund, vice president, Commercial Vessels at Candela.
As the hydrofoiling Candela P-12 Shuttle creates near zero wake, it has been granted an exemption from the 12-knot speed limit, allowing it to fly into the city centre without causing wave damage to other vessels or sensitive shorelines.
In fact, the minuscule propeller wash is considerably smaller than the wake from conventional passenger ships travelling at slow speeds.
Ending sea sickness
The first electric flying ferry will also elevate passenger experience to an entirely new level, thanks to the most advanced computer system found in a passenger boat.
Those prone to seasickness will appreciate the extremely smooth ride in adverse weather.
Flying silently above the waves, the Candela Flight Controller – a computer which regulates the hydrofoils 100 times per second – ensures a steady, smooth ride over waves that would otherwise make many feel queasy.
"There’s no other ship that has this kind of active electronic stabilisation," 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: it’s quiet, smooth and stable."
The Region of Stockholm will operate the first P-12 Shuttle ship for a nine-month trial period.
If it meets the high expectations placed on it, the hope is that the city’s fleet of over 70 diesel vessels eventually will be replaced by P-12 Shuttles – but also that land transport from congested highways can shift to the waterways.
Maritime traffic is the region's most popular public transport, and I want to expand it, says Gustav Hemming, vice president of the Regional Executive Board in Stockholm.
"However, we need better technology to travel faster and reduce climate impact – therefore, we are happy to try this new technology for waterborne traffic.
"This project can contribute to solutions that we can use in Stockholm, but also provides opportunities for both exports and jobs in the Stockholm region."