Mumbai orders ‘world’s largest fleet’ of electric foiling vessels
A fleet of eleven Candela P-12 electric commuter ferries has been ordered by JalVimana Shuttles in Mumbai, India, in what Candela states is currently the largest single electric vessel fleet order globally.
The announcement was made during an official visit from India’s minister of commerce and industry, Piyush Goyal, who was on board one of Candela’s vessels in Stockholm.
The electric ferries will serve two of Mumbai’s most heavily used water routes: between the Gateway of India and Alibaug, and from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island. A third line is being developed to connect the city’s new airport to central Mumbai, which is expected to reduce travel time from 1 hour 30 minutes to less than 30 minutes.
Candela’s P-12 vessels are equipped with hydrofoils – computer-guided underwater wings that lift the hull above the water to reduce drag. This design lowers energy use, removes wake and slamming, and allows for quieter operation. According to Candela, the vessels operate at a fraction of the cost of traditional diesel ferries.
Mumbai, a rapidly expanding city with more than 23m residents, is pursuing new strategies to address urban congestion and reduce emissions. The Maharashtra state government has announced plans to deploy thousands of electric ferries to transform the region’s waterways into high-speed corridors for public transport. This initiative is supported by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and ports minister Nitesh Rane.
“This is a groundbreaking project that unlocks the full potential of Mumbai’s waterways for efficient commuting — and by investing in hydrofoil technology, the city is leapfrogging legacy waterborne transport systems,” says Gustav Hasselskog.
JalVimana’s CEO, Niraj Thakur, adds: “We believe Candela’s next-generation P-12 will be a giant leap for Mumbai and towards our national goals of a sustainable future for our vast Indian coastline and inland waterways. JalVimana is honoured to bring this Swedish gift to our ancient shores.”
The Candela P-12 made its debut in Stockholm in 2024, where it reduced commute times and eliminated emissions, contributing to the expansion of electric ferry use beyond Scandinavian markets.
“Candela exists to accelerate the shift to clean and efficient waterborne transport,” says Gustav Hasselskog, Candela’s CEO and founder. “We’re honoured to support Maharashtra’s bold vision and delighted that JalVimana has chosen P-12 to lead the transformation. With the P-12, we will show that our foiling electric ferries can add a vital new layer of mobility to Mumbai.”
In late 2024, Candela raised an additional $14m in series C funding, bringing the total raised in 2024 to $40m.
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