Norway is taking a major step in zero-emission maritime transport as Boreal AS has ordered 20 electric hydrofoil ferries from Candela Technology. Both companies are members of the Ocean Autonomy Cluster, underlining how collaboration across industry players is helping accelerate the shift towards sustainable maritime operations.
The order represents the world’s largest deployment of electric hydrofoil vessels to date and signals a breakthrough for high-speed, zero-emission passenger transport along the Norwegian coastline, where long distances and demanding conditions have traditionally made electrification difficult.
The technology has already been tested in Norwegian waters. During trial operations on the Trondheimsfjorden, the vessel – referred to locally as the “Frostabåten” – demonstrated how hydrofoil technology can perform under real operating conditions. Frostabåten is also a FI Ocean Space Incubator project.
The Candela P-12 is a 40-foot (12 m) vessel with seating for 30 passengers and a speed of 25 knots. By lifting the hull above the water at higher speeds, the vessel reduces drag significantly and achieves far lower energy consumption than conventional fast ferries.
The test runs in Trondheim showed stable performance in varying sea states and confirmed the potential for electrifying routes that are currently dependent on diesel-powered vessels. For regions with fjords and dispersed communities, this represents a meaningful step towards viable zero-emission high-speed transport.
The concept has also been demonstrated in other Norwegian waters, including the Oslofjord, further validating the technology across different operating environments.
While Norway is already a global leader in electrification, high-speed passenger vessels have remained one of the most challenging segments to decarbonise. The Candela P-12 addresses this by using computer-controlled hydrofoils that allow the vessel to “fly” above the water, cutting energy consumption by up to 80 percent.
This efficiency enables a combination of speed and range that has previously been difficult to achieve with electric propulsion. At the same time, the vessel can be charged using standard DC fast chargers, reducing the need for costly and time-consuming grid upgrades in coastal areas.
The first two vessels are expected to be delivered in 2027, with the remaining fleet phased in towards 2030. Boreal AS plans to deploy the vessels on a mix of urban and regional routes, both in Norway and internationally.
While specific routes have yet to be confirmed, Boreal sees significant potential along large parts of the Norwegian coastline. The company is currently in dialogue with partners across commercial routes, tourism and charter operations, as well as public transport services, targeting both urban commuter markets and rural connections.
The initiative illustrates how operators and technology developers—working closely within environments such as the Ocean Autonomy Cluster—can move from testing and validation to full-scale deployment of new maritime solutions.
“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,” says Nikolai Knudsmoen Utheim, 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.”
“We are working with relevant stakeholders to develop specific routes, including in areas where the technology has already been tested, such as the Oslofjord and the Trondheim region. These projects will now mature further ahead of the first vessel deliveries,” says Jon Kristian Fadnes, Head of Communications at Boreal.
“The Trondheim Fjord trials proved that electric hydrofoils can operate safely and efficiently even in winter, while enabling assisted autonomy functions that improve reliability. As Boreal now moves toward the first fleet deployment, our shared task in Trøndelag is to demonstrate that this technology can also be operated commercially on real routes,” says Linda Cathrine Hald, Project Manager, Ocean Space Incubator.
“With Boreal and Candela as members of the Ocean Autonomy Cluster, and Boreal as a core partner in Testination, this collaboration shows how Norway’s maritime ecosystem can move from pilots to full operations. Our next step is to build out the supporting systems around the vessels: digital and autonomy assisted operations, remote monitoring, energy and charging concepts, and flexible route models that make high speed zero emission transport commercially viable along the Norwegian coast, ”Hald adds.
Boreal is a Norwegian public transport operator providing bus, ferry and fast-boat services across the country. The company has taken a leading role in introducing zero-emission solutions in maritime transport and continues to explore new concepts for sustainable and efficient passenger mobility along the coast. Boreal is also a key partner for Testination - the Trondheimfjorden testbed for autonomus technology.
Candela is a Swedish technology company specialising in electric hydrofoil vessels. Through the integration of lightweight materials, advanced sensors and flight control systems, the company has developed vessels capable of operating efficiently at high speed while significantly reducing energy consumption, enabling new possibilities for electric transport at sea.