Ko Kut, also known as Koh Kood, one of a dozen islands in the Gulf of Thailand, is a tranquil, jungle-covered place known for its pristine beaches, clear turquoise waters and abundant coconut palms. It has an economy centered around fishing, agriculture and ecotourism.
The island, which is in the least populous district in Thailand, is only accessible by boat from Trat province on the mainland. But ecotourism visitors and local officials alike have been limited to the use of internal combustion engine-powered speedboats accompanied by all of their commensurate disadvantages, including noise, vibration and environmental pollution. These factors threaten marine life and are not in keeping with the quiet character of Ko Kut.
Seudamgo, a unit of Leopard Transportation, plans to solve that problem by deploying a fleet of ten P-12 electric hydrofoil ferries from Candela. The vessel’s digital flight control system minimizes slamming, ensuring a smooth ride free of seasickness, Candela said.
By turning to clean green power, Seudamgo is poised to transport ecotourism travelers to Ko Kut via high-speed, clean, efficient and electrified water transport. Seudamgo will be the first company to operate the Candela electric hydrofoil ferries in Thailand and southeast Asia.
“Candela’s P-12 foil electric technology is a game-changer,” said Surachai Suwanthanakul, Leopard’s CEO. “It represents a truly sustainable vessel—free from emissions, oil spills and underwater noise.”
At a speed of 25 knots (29 mph, 46 km/h), the P-12 will cover the 20 nautical miles (23 miles, 37 km) on the route in 40 minutes.
The P-12 seats up to 30 passengers, depending on operator configuration, with plenty of room for passenger bags. It is 39 feet, 4.1 inches (11.99 m) in length, has a 14-foot, 8.4-inch (4.5 m) beam and displaces 11.02 tons (10 metric tonnes).
Candela has now received multiple orders from major municipalities and operators for the electric ferry. The P-12 went into service in Stockholm in November 2024, picking up passengers in Ekerö, an island of almost 12,000 inhabitants outside Stockholm, and reaching Stockholm’s City Hall, a 9-mile (15 km) jaunt, in just 30 minutes. That was 15 minutes faster than its diesel-powered counterpart while using 80% less energy to power the trip.
A fleet of eight P-12 ferries is on order by Saudi Arabia to make trips to Neom, the massive, unsustainable development that Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the crown prince and authoritarian leader of Saudi Arabia, is creating there.
The P-12 is coming to Lake Tahoe to speed up north-south trips across the lake on the California-Nevada border, and to Mumbai to help the city get cars off its heavily trafficked roadways. It is also being deployed in Berlin to bring the travel time from the Eastside Gallery to Funkhaus down from as much as 26 minutes in traffic to 10 minutes by traveling along the Spree River.
In November 2024, Candela said it had raised an additional $14 million in its Series C funding round, putting the company’s total secured funding in 2024 at over $40 million. The investment will help Candela ramp up production to meet demand for its vessels. The new $14-million investment was led by SEB Private Equity, a global private equity investor, with additional participation by existing investors EQT Ventures and KanDela.
Source: Candela Technology
