STOCKHOLM — A high-tech electric ferry service launched in Stockholm on Tuesday, offering passengers a low-carbon way through the waterways of the Swedish capital, built on 14 islands.

In what Stockholm claims is a world first, 25 passengers in the Ekero suburb boarded the hydrofoil Nova, powered by electric motors. The ferry floated about 1 meter (3 feet) above the water and covered 15 kilometers (9 miles), reaching Stockholm City Hall in just 30 minutes. On the normal diesel-powered ferry line, the morning round trip takes 45 minutes without stops.

“We are doing this to show the way to a green marine transition,” said Gustav Hemming, the city councilor responsible for climate and infrastructure. The aim of the nine-month-long pilot project was to “get more people to park their cars and buy a (public transportation) pass instead.”

Gustav Hasselskog, managing director of electric boat manufacturer Candela, called it “a paradigm shift in urban transport and the revitalization of our waterways.”

He said the Nova was the first of Candela’s new P-12 model to enter service. Computer-controlled hydrofoil wings lift the hull above the water, reducing water friction and reducing energy consumption by 80% compared to conventional ships.

“Conventional ships have not improved much in 100 years and are among the least energy efficient modes of transportation, rivaled only by the battle tank,” Hasselskog said in a statement.

As of Tuesday, Nova has become part of the ferry fleet operated by Stockholm’s public transport provider SL.

The ship is designed to carry 25 passengers, including one with wheelchair space. There is a speed limit on some parts of the route, but there are no restrictions on the open sea. The hydrofoil has a cruising speed of approximately 25 knots (46 kph or 29 mph) and can reach a maximum speed of 30 knots (56 kph or 35 mph); This is much faster than other electric passenger ferries. It achieves this with carbon fiber hydrofoil wings that lift the boat out of the water and reduce drag.

An added benefit is that the ship is exempt from Stockholm’s 12-knot speed limit because it does not leave waves created by the boat’s displacement through the water, which increase as speed increases, and which could sink other ships or erode the coastline.

Candela says its technology reduces energy per passenger-kilometer by 95% compared to diesel ferries in the beautiful Stockholm archipelago.

The ship can operate in waves up to 2 meters (6.5 feet).

Candela hopes that in addition to Stockholm, cities such as San Francisco, New York and Venice will lead the electrification of water-based public transport.

There are approximately 70 public transport ships in Stockholm that use fossil fuels. There were approximately 6.2 million public transport boat trips in the Stockholm region in 2022, and although boat traffic remains a small part of the entire public transport system, it has become the fastest growing mode of public transport in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.