First electric boat crosses Straits of Gibraltar

From Electrek

In a historic first for electric marine travel, a Swedish team has successfully crossed the Mediterranean in an electric boat – and not just any electric boat, but one that flies. The voyage marks a major milestone in the future of clean maritime transport and shows that electric boats aren’t just ready for lakes and calm harbors – they’re ready for open sea.

The vessel used to perform the major maritime feat was the Candela C-8 Polestar Edition, a sleek hydrofoil electric boat that quite literally lifts out of the water as it gains speed. Its computer-controlled hydrofoils are the only part of the boat that remains in the water, helping it reduce its energy usage by around 80% compared to traditional vessels.

Piloted by Candela CEO Gustav Hasselskog, the C-8 flew across the 24-nautical-mile Strait of Gibraltar from Sotogrande, Spain to Ceuta, North Africa. The entire crossing took just over an hour – matching the speed of traditional fast ferries, but with a fraction of the energy use, and none of the emissions.

Once it docked in Ceuta and recharged, the C-8 turned around and did it all over again, making the return trip the same day.

 

This was no calm lake cruise. The Gibraltar Strait is known for strong currents and choppy seas where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean – conditions that can toss small boats around and churn stomachs. But the C-8’s computer-controlled hydrofoils counteract wave motion in real-time, adjusting the wing angles up to 100 times per second to keep the ride stable and smooth. “We couldn’t feel the waves, while the photo boat was bouncing quite a bit,” said Hasselskog.

For Candela, the mission was more than a publicity stunt. The demonstration was designed to prove the viability of future routes using Candela’s upcoming P-12 electric ferry, a 30-passenger hydrofoiling vessel already conducting ferry service in Stockholm. By showing that a battery-powered boat could handle the Mediterranean, the company is signaling its readiness to take on short regional ferry routes currently served by large, polluting diesel ferries.

“There’s a clear need for fast, clean, and efficient travel across the Mediterranean,” said Hasselskog. “We can help meet this demand, working alongside existing operators to boost connectivity and cut emissions.”

The potential impact is huge. The Strait of Gibraltar alone sees more than 3.5 million annual crossings, mostly using large ferries focused on vehicle transport. That leaves many coastal communities underserved. With vessels like the P-12, Candela envisions a future of direct, nimble electric ferry routes – faster, cheaper, and far less polluting.

Speaking of cheaper: the entire Gibraltar crossing consumed just 40 kWh of energy – about €8 or US $9 worth of electricity. The similarly sized gasoline photo boat that paced the Candela used 50 liters (13 gallons) of fuel, costing around €90 (US $102). That’s more than a 10x savings on fuel alone, not even counting the massive reductions in maintenance and emissions.

Candela partnered with Avangreen, a clean energy company behind Ceuta’s largest solar project, for the demonstration. The two companies are working together to promote a new generation of sustainable marine infrastructure in the region.

The Candela C-8 Polestar Edition, used in the crossing, is a premium version of the C-8 developed in collaboration with EV automaker Polestar. It features a 69 kWh battery and fast charging capability – up to 80% in 30 minutes – and has a range of 57 nautical miles at 22 knots, currently making it the longest-range and fastest-charging electric boat in the world.

World's first autonomous electric ferry

milliAmpere prototype visible at left

From New Atlas

Building bridges over municipal waterways isn't a simple or inexpensive endeavor, which is why many cities instead look to ferries. With that fact in mind, a new autonomous electric passenger ferry is being trialled in Norway, and it's said to be the first of its kind.

Designed by a team at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the vessel is known as the milliAmpere 2. It's part of the university's larger Autoferry project.

In a trial project that runs until the middle of next month, it is currently transporting passengers across the main channel in the city of Trondheim. Although the craft can accommodate up to 20 passengers, it's taking a maximum of 12 at a time during the testing period. And according to NTNU, "This is the first time a self-propelled electric passenger ferry has been put into trial operation along urban waterways."

As compared to an earlier prototype (named the milliAmpere), the milliAmpere 2 is considerably larger, it sports a new design, plus it incorporates more advanced technology beneath its deck. That under-deck technology includes battery packs, chargers, computers, and a dynamic positioning system.

Up on top of the deck, sensors such as cameras, LiDAR and radar modules allow the ferry to monitor its surroundings, in order to avoid collisions with structures or other watercraft. And while it is designed to run autonomously, a human operator in a land-based control room is able to watch what it's doing via those sensors, and can take manual remote control if necessary.

The technology behind the milliAmpere 2 is being commercialized by spinoff company Zeabuz. That startup is working with Norwegian ferry company Torghatten to develop an autonomous ferry, which is slated to enter use in Stockholm, Sweden next summer.