Yachting Art Magazine

India's economic capital is preparing to take a major step forward in its sustainable mobility strategy. A unique project plans to deploy electric hydrofoil ferries capable of quickly connecting the city's main points via its underutilised waterways.

With its road infrastructure reaching saturation point, Mumbai is turning to a bold alternative: using its waters for daily transport. Local company JalVimana has ordered 11 P-12 electric ferries from Swedish manufacturer Candela, laying the foundations for a future clean and fast maritime transport network.

The project, supported by the Maharashtra authorities, plans to transform Mumbai's coastline and waterways into urban mobility corridors. The initiative aims to reduce pressure on the city's roads, which carry more than 23 million people, and offer an environmentally friendly solution. Eventually, thousands of electric vessels could join this initial fleet.

The P-12s, developed by Candela, are based on innovative technology: submerged wings lift the boat above the surface, reducing energy consumption and eliminating waves and noise pollution. This system promises much lower operating costs than diesel ferries, while ensuring smoother and faster journeys.

The first routes identified are key connections for local residents: the journey between the Gateway of India and Alibaug, which currently takes several hours by car, will be significantly reduced. Another route will serve Elephanta Island, while a future connection between the new airport and the city centre is in the pipeline. The latter is expected to reduce journey times from around 90 minutes to less than 30 minutes.

The announcement of this order was made official in Stockholm during a visit by Piyush Goyal, India's Minister of Commerce, who was able to discover the capabilities of the Candela ferries. JalVimana's Managing Director, Niraj Thakur, hailed this technological advance as a major contribution to India's green ambitions.

According to him, these ferries ‘will mark a turning point for Mumbai and contribute to our national sustainable development goals for our coastlines and inland waterways.’ Candela, already known in Scandinavia for its innovations in clean shipping, sees this partnership as confirmation of the relevance of its solutions on a global scale.

Its CEO, Gustav Hasselskog, emphasised that Mumbai's choice of the P-12 demonstrates the potential of electric ferries to transform urban mobility far beyond Europe.

The Swedish manufacturer launched its first commercial models in 2024 in Stockholm, where they have already reduced journey times while eliminating polluting emissions. With this contract, Mumbai is set to welcome what will be the world's largest fleet of electric ferries to date.

This project illustrates a paradigm shift in the way major cities are approaching mobility. By investing in modern, clean maritime infrastructure, Mumbai aims not only to relieve congestion on its roads, but also to strengthen its image as an innovative city focused on a sustainable future. The first ferries are expected to arrive in the next few years, marking the beginning of a new era for urban transport in India.

Analysis - this sale reflects the Swedish shipyard's development potential in the market for flying urban ferries on calm waters, a market that is undoubtedly more promising than the private market.