Les saken på norsk – A breakthrough for emission-free and autonomous mobility at sea. This week, an electric hydrofoil from Swedish Candela was tested and trial-sailed in Trondheim Fjord as part of the Frostabåten project. The tests represent an important step toward new emission-free commuter routes, and eventually more autonomous solutions for passenger transport at sea. The project is led by Linda Hald, project manager for Frostabåten, through FI Ocean Space Incubator. Its goal is to explore how electric hydrofoils can be integrated into future public transport offerings, both for commuters, tourism, and new mobility concepts. Candela P‑12 arrived in Trondheim by ship. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Tested on multiple routes in the fjord During the pilot week, the vessel was sailed on routes between Trondheim, Frosta Brygge at Småland, Leksvik, Munkholmen, and Grilstad Marina, in addition to several trips in Trondheim Fjord. The trips served both as technology tests and as data collection opportunities in collaboration with research environments. – We have brought together the entire ecosystem around the project. Public actors, industry, research institutions, and technology suppliers have all been involved. Now we have shown that this can be realized in practice, says Hald. At 15 knots speed, the foils lift the hull out of the water and the boat flies. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Remote monitoring from shore via 5G A key part of the tests was collaboration with NTNU Shore Control Lab, which demonstrated how passenger ferries can be monitored from shore-based control rooms. – We equipped Frostabåten with cameras and communication equipment that allow us to stream 360-degree video from the vessel over the 5G network to our control room at Shore Control Lab in Nyhavna, explains Ole Andreas Alsos, head of Shore Control Lab and professor of interaction design at the Department of Design. NTNU developed a dedicated Gateway, a compact and user-friendly box that connects to power, cameras, and antennas. The solution collects and sends high-quality audio and video streams directly to the control room. Ole Andreas Alsos, head of NTNU Shore Control Lab. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri – Just ten minutes after gaining access to the vessel, we were able to transmit the first live video images over the 5G network to the control room. This demonstrates how quickly this type of solution can be implemented, says Alsos. – The next step is to demonstrate remote control of Frostabåten from the control room, explains Alsos. NTNU had planned four hours to set up the equipment onboard. They finished in just 30 minutes. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri. Technology providing speed and efficiency Frostabåten is an electric hydrofoil developed and produced by Candela. It is lifted out of the water by computer-controlled hydrofoils, which reduce friction and energy consumption, provide stability and comfort, and extend battery range compared to traditional boats. Propulsion is provided by Candela C‑Pod motors with counter-rotating propellers, offering quiet, efficient, and maintenance-free operation. The combination of computer-controlled hydrofoils and direct electric propulsion makes the vessel highly energy-efficient and comfortable to sail. – The most important thing now is to show that this works in practice. The technology is mature, and the vessel has already been in commercial operation in Stockholm’s public transport for over a year. Now it’s about engaging people and decision-makers to show that this is a realistic solution in Trondheim Fjord as well, says Alexander Sifvert, director for leisure sales at Candela. Alexander Sifvert, director for leisure sales at Candela. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Broad collaboration across industry, research, and public sector The Frostabåten project is carried out in close collaboration between Frosta Brygge, Trondheim Port, Ocean Autonomy Cluster, MIDAS, Crazy Coyote, WTW, Login Group, Norsk Droneindustri, SINTEF, Maritime Robotics, and FI Ocean Space Incubator. NTNU, with Shore Control Lab, is a key partner for testing and research on remote monitoring and autonomous systems. Trondheim municipality and Trøndelag County are important public partners and contribute funding to the project. Mayor Kent Ranum attended the tests. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Foundation for further development and new routes The project has also attracted significant interest from county authorities. Trøndelag County has indicated plans to support the purchase of electric vessels and the development of new routes, including through the Klimasats program. – This is not just about one boat, but about developing a new mobility concept. Bus at sea, taxi at sea, and new connections that both reduce emissions and make better use of sea areas, says Hald. In January, a new and more extensive test period is planned with additional trips, public demonstrations, and further technology testing. Munkholmen could be one of Frostabåten’s stops. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Incubator role central FI Ocean Space Incubator has played a central role in structuring the project, connecting relevant actors, and enabling rapid progress. – This project shows how the incubator model can be used to realize complex, interdisciplinary initiatives. Here, mobility, maritime technology, research, and regional development come together in a concrete test and development project with significant scaling potential, says Hald. Head of FI Ocean Space Incubator Ingrid Sandnes and project manager for Frostabåten Linda Hald Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Serial entrepreneur Terje Viken is a key driving force behind the Frostabåten project. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri. The company Crazy Coyote provides both boat operators for Frostabåten and a support boat for photographers. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri. Watch drone footage from the trial sail Drone photo: Frank Lervik/Screen Story
Les saken på norsk What happens when a ferry starts taking over some of the tasks we normally associate with a crew, like navigation, monitoring and system checks, but still has a trained operator in control? And how will passengers feel when boarding such a vessel for the first time? These questions are at the heart of new research carried out on Frostabåten, an electric hydrofoil that will begin test sailings on the Trondheim Fjord in December. This initiative offers a unique opportunity to study human–autonomy interaction in real operational conditions, complementing prior laboratory-based research. A flying boat on the fjord Frostabåten uses the Candela P-12, an electric hydrofoil that lifts its hull out of the water as it gains speed. With less drag, the vessel becomes extremely energy-efficient, up to 80% lower consumption than traditional hulls, and can cruise quietly at 25 knots. For the Trondheim Fjord, this technology is a game-changer. It makes it possible to run routes that would be too small for large ferries, and it cuts travel time between Frosta and Trondheim to just 25 minutes. Se also: Frostabåten begins test sailings with electric hydrofoil on the Trondheim Fjord Studying the future passenger Alongside the technical testing, NTNU’s Department of Design is exploring one of the most often overlooked aspects of autonomy: the passenger experience. This part of the research was carried out as a master’s thesis project by master’s students Ane Solbakken-Melleby and Michelle Lous. Both completed their Master of Industrial Design at NTNU with a specialization in interaction design in the spring of 2025. Their study, “Designing Passenger Touchpoints for an Autonomous Ferry Service” (Solbakken-Melleby, Lous & Alsos, 2025), investigates how passengers respond when tasks normally handled by crew are automated or when no crew are immediately visible. Ane Solbakken-Melleby “We mapped the entire travel experience, not just the journey from quay to quay, but from the moment passengers considered booking a trip to the moment they arrived at their final destination,” says Ane Solbakken-Melleby. “This broader perspective allowed us to explore how Frostabåten could become a natural part of the full travel chain, working seamlessly with other forms of public transport so that the journey feels connected from start to finish,” adds They found that when passengers cannot rely on crew for guidance, the design of the environment itself takes on a critical role. Clear signage, intuitive wayfinding, and simple boarding processes become essential, while displays showing route information, vessel status, and safety instructions help build trust. Consistent and predictable interactions throughout the journey reduce uncertainty, creating a sense of reliability. In effect, thoughtful design becomes the passengers’ digital crew, guiding and reassuring them at every step. Michelle Lous. “One of the key findings was that passengers have very different perceptions of autonomy and different levels of trust in the technology. Trust is essential, and it must be built through elements that compensate for the lack of direct human contact on board,” explains Lous. “We saw that strong, consistent information flow throughout the customer journey was particularly effective. By identifying the points where trust needs are highest, we could focus our design efforts there, while acknowledging that these measures may only be a small part of a longer-term strategy to make autonomous services feel like a natural part of everyday travel,” Solbakken-Melleby adds. Research during test-sailing in Stockholm Photo: Ane Solbakken-Melleby Autonomous functions – with a human in charge A key part of Frostabåten is the testing of autonomous navigation support, energy optimization, and situational awareness tools. These systems are intended to make operations safer and more efficient—especially in winter conditions. But one point cannot be emphasized enough: The vessel is not crewless. A trained operator is always at the helm. Autonomous systems support decision-making; they do not replace the human. To study this, NTNU and the Shore Control Lab will stream high-quality video from the vessel to a shore-based control room. This allows researchers to explore long-term possibilities for remote monitoring, improved situational awareness, and new ways of supporting the operator during complex conditions. Candela P-12, hydrofoil ferry. Photo: Candela Se also: Situation awareness by design: Advancing remote operation of autonomous vessels A collaborative test arena Frostabåten is more than a single vessel. It is a shared test arena for Norway’s autonomous maritime community. The project brings together technology companies, designers, researchers and operators through partners such as the Ocean Autonomy Cluster, MIDAS, Trondheim Port, Frosta Brygge, FI Ocean Space Incubator, and Maritime Robotics. For Ocean Autonomy Cluster, the project offers valuable insight into how autonomous functions can be introduced safely, gradually and in ways that benefit both operators and passengers. NTNU Shore Control Lab. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Toward new fjord mobility The long-term ambition is to establish a scalable model for emission-free, fast ferry routes that can serve commuters, tourists, and coastal communities, first in Norway, and eventually internationally. As project manager Linda Cathrine Hald puts it, Frostabåten is “only the beginning.” The knowledge gained—from hydrofoil performance in rough conditions to how passengers respond to autonomy, will shape how future ferry services are designed. And perhaps most importantly, Frostabåten shows that even small vessels can become floating laboratories, helping Norway stay at the forefront of autonomous maritime innovation. Linda Cathrine Hald, Project leader for Frostabåten from FI Ocean Space Incubator. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri Test-sailing Candela P-12 in Stockholm References: Ane Solbakken-Melleby, Michelle Lous and Ole Andreas Alsos. (2025). Designing passenger touchpoints for an autonomous ferry service. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 3123, 012043. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/3123/1/012043 Read more about the project at Frostabåten project page
Les saken på norsk In December, Frostabåten will begin test sailings on the Trondheim Fjord using the electric hydrofoil vessel Candela P-12. The tests mark an important step toward assessing whether an emission-free and energy-efficient route can be established between Frosta and Trondheim, a connection that currently has no boat service. The purpose is to develop a sustainable transport line on the Trondheim Fjord, and potentially also on its inner sections, that can evolve into an autonomy project, a tourism concept, and a commuter route. Frostabåten is inspired by the former ferry connection between Frosta and Trondheim, which was discontinued in 1947. The project will now examine whether modern electric hydrofoil technology can make a revival possible. Plan for testsailing Kenneth Tanem, Terje Viken, Kenneth Aakerholm, Linda Hald and Zilvinas Ciuzelis during test in Oslofjorden. Photo: Frostabåten A hydrofoil is a vessel equipped with underwater wings that lift the hull out of the water at speed, reducing drag and lowering energy consumption by up to 80 percent. The boat reaches a top speed of 30 knots. With battery-electric propulsion, range is limited to keep weight down. This vessel can operate up to 40 nautical miles (74 km) at a cruising speed of 25 knots, more than sufficient for shorter distances like the Trondheim Fjord. Smaller battery packs also reduce weight and improve energy efficiency. The result is a quiet, fast, and emission-free connection that can reduce travel time to around 25 minutes, a fraction of today’s driving time between Frosta and Trondheim. “On the Trondheim Fjord, this technology makes it possible to operate routes where the passenger base is too small for larger vessels,” says Terje Viken, initiator and CEO of Frostabåten AS. Terje Viken, initiator and CEO of Frostabåten AS. Photo: Frostingen Testing autonomous technology The autonomous technology to be tested will support the vessel operator in navigation and operations. Functions such as steering, energy optimization and navigation will be tested systematically in different sea states, including winter, cold, darkness, and the rough conditions commonly found on the Trondheim Fjord. NTNU and Shore Control Lab play an active role in the project, conducting research on how autonomous functions can support the operator during demanding conditions. “We will install a gateway on the vessel that enables the transfer of high-quality video from the vessel to a shore-based control room via the mobile network,” says Ole Andreas Alsos, head of the Shore Control Lab and Professor of Interaction Design at NTNU. This will allow the project to explore long-term possibilities for remote monitoring and remote operation from shore. NTNU will also map the passenger experience to support the design of future ferry services. Even with autonomous features, the vessel will not be crewless. It will remain operator-controlled, but the systems will provide decision support and operational efficiency. The test results will serve as an important foundation for further development of autonomous solutions. The research will document how the systems perform in varying wave, wind and temperature conditions and will contribute to further development of autonomous, emission-free operations on fjords and short routes. How the testing will be carried out The test period will run from Wednesday, 10 December to 19 December. From 8 December, training of operators will begin while the onshore and charging infrastructure is prepared for test operations. From 15 December, the active testing phase will start, including systematic sea trials, measurements of energy consumption and stability under different wave, wind and temperature conditions, manoeuvring exercises, and demonstration trips for invited stakeholders. The testing will continue until January 2026 and will provide a comprehensive decision-making basis for technology, operations, and potential future routes. Ole Andreas Alsos, head of Shore Control Lab and professor in Interaction Design, NTNU. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri “This is only the beginning” The technology enables small, frequent departures instead of large ferries carrying only a handful of passengers. In many parts of the country, large boats with capacity for hundreds operate with only 20–30 passengers onboard – neither efficient nor economical. On the Trondheim Fjord, the hydrofoil makes it possible to run routes where larger vessels would not be viable. “This is only the beginning. Our ambition is to establish a scalable business model for autonomous fast ferries that can be used in several locations, first in Norway and later internationally. At the same time, the test model will provide technical data and help develop ecosystems and business models for emission-free and autonomous operations,” says Linda Cathrine Hald, project manager for Frostabåten at FI Ocean Space Incubator. Frostabåten will also explore how the tests can form the basis for an integrated transport system combining autonomous technology, commuting and tourism, with possible commuter routes from Frosta, Leksvik, Vanvikan and Munkholmen. Linda Cathrine Hald, project manager for Frostabåten at FI Ocean Space Incubator. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset / Fremtidens Industri Project partners The Frostabåten test project is carried out in close collaboration with Frosta Brygge, Trondheim Port, Ocean Autonomy Cluster, MIDAS, Crazy Coyote, WTW, Login Group, Norsk Droneindustri, Maritime Robotics and FI Ocean Space Incubator, with NTNU and Shore Control Lab as key partners for testing and research on autonomous systems. The Municipality of Trondheim and Trøndelag County Council are important partners contributing funding. Next steps Frostabåten aims to develop a scalable model for autonomous fast ferries that can be deployed in multiple locations, both in Norway and internationally. The project will also test the potential for future commuter routes from Frosta, Leksvik, Vanvikan and Munkholmen, as well as tourism concepts based on year-round, emission-free transport. Facts about Frostabåten Planned route: Frosta – Trondheim Distance: 22 km / approx. 25 minutes travel time Vessel: Candela P-12 electric hydrofoil Capacity: 31 passengers Emissions: Zero local emissions Interested in a test trip? Anyone interested can already register for demonstration trips and be among the first to experience electric hydrofoil technology on the Trondheim Fjord. Test trip Frostabåten Photo: Candela Contact Linda Cathrine Hald Project Manager, FI Ocean Space Incubator Phone: +47 976 74 134 Email: linda@fi-nor.no