Swedish maritime tech company Candela has received a major order for 20 of its electric hydrofoil ferries, the Candela P-12, marking a significant expansion of its zero-emission water transport footprint in Norway.
At the same time, the company is entering a leadership transition, with founder Gustav Hasselskog stepping down after more than eleven years at the helm. He will be succeeded by Sofia Graflund.
Scaling Electric Hydrofoiling Transport
Based in Stockholm, Candela develops electric hydrofoiling vessels designed to dramatically reduce energy consumption in maritime transport.
The newly announced order from Norway represents one of the company’s largest commercial deployments to date, signaling growing demand for clean, high-speed electric ferry solutions in coastal and urban water transport systems.
The P-12 model uses hydrofoiling technology to lift the vessel above the water surface, reducing drag and enabling significantly lower energy use compared to traditional ferries.
A Shift in Maritime Infrastructure
Electric ferries are becoming an increasingly important part of Europe’s decarbonization strategy, particularly in countries with extensive coastlines and fjord-based transport networks like Norway.
Candela’s technology is positioned at the intersection of mobility innovation and climate transition, aiming to replace fossil-fuel-powered vessels with quieter, more efficient electric alternatives.
Leadership Transition at a Critical Growth Stage
Alongside its commercial momentum, Candela is undergoing a major leadership change.
After more than a decade leading the company from early concept to international scale-up, founder Gustav Hasselskog is stepping down as CEO. Under his leadership, Candela developed and commercialized its hydrofoiling electric vessel platform and established itself as a category leader in electric maritime transport.
Incoming CEO Sofia Graflund will take over as the company enters a new phase focused on scaling production, expanding international deployments, and delivering large fleet orders.
Why This Matters
The order from Norway marks a key validation point for electric hydrofoil technology at scale. Unlike traditional electric boats, hydrofoiling systems significantly improve efficiency, making longer-range and high-speed ferry operations economically viable.
As governments and transport operators push for zero-emission mobility solutions, companies like Candela are moving from experimental innovation into real infrastructure deployment.
What’s Next
With new leadership in place and major fleet orders secured, Candela is transitioning from breakthrough innovator to industrial-scale mobility provider.
The next phase will focus on production scaling, operational deployment across ferry networks, and further expansion into international markets.
