While high-speed diesel catamarans can cut travel times, they are 10-15 times more expensive than buses or trains to operate per passenger mile. These vessels are also big everyday polluters, and their wakes cause shoreline erosion.
Candela Technology, a Swedish tech company that recently opened a US headquarter in Sausalito, aims to address these drawbacks with their hydrofoiling, 30-passenger electric vessel, the Candela P-12 Shuttle, which is currently being built in Stockholm, Sweden.
“In most cities, ferries run half empty at best. The vessels are built for peak seasonal demand, which happens once or twice a year. Using smaller vessels, and more of them, decreases wait times between departures and could allow for new and more flexible routes across the bay,” says Erik Eklund, Vice President of Commercial Vessels at Candela.
For example, using a system of six P-12 Shuttles on the Sausalito to San Francisco Ferry Terminal route would increase departure frequency from once every 30 minutes today to one departure every 10 minutes. The cost per passenger would also decrease, due to thereduced energy consumption.
Thanks to its efficient hydrofoil tech, the Candela P-12 Shuttle doesn’t create a discernible wake either, as it cruises above the waves at 30 knots (35 mph). The ability to fly past moored boats, sensitive shorelines and other traffic without causing wake damage allows for high-speed operations in urban waters.
P-12 Shuttle offers convenient cross connections in waterfront cities. On many routes, it’s a faster alternative to cars.
With a speed of between 20-30 knots and built for optimal boarding, the current bus and subway commute on a number of routes can be halved.
Read more: Emobility