Artemis officially launches electric hydrofoil pilot boats

Artemis has officially launched the EF-12 Pilot, a vessel specifically developed for pilotage operations. The hydrofoil is designed to lift out of the water at high speeds for greater efficiency, offering a top speed of 30 knots (nearly 56 km/h) and a typical cruising speed of 25 knots (46 km/h).

Its high speeds allow maritime pilots to be transferred to and from ships more quickly. In 2024, Artemis already conducted tests confirming that the EF-12 Pilot performs well in wakes, even in foiling mode. The company also established that the pilot boat can rapidly approach and safely land alongside ships in displacement mode. In other words, the EF-12 can get close enough to a large vessel to transfer a pilot between them.

According to Artemis, the first EF-12 unit is now officially in the water and will undergo a final testing phase before entering operational service.

Hydrofoils have regained attention in recent years thanks to electrification of the technology. Artemis is also working on larger hydrofoils. Another notable development in the hydrofoil space is a trial conducted by competitor Candela in Sweden, which showed that hydrofoils are less disruptive to shorelines.

A fundamental problem faced by hydrofoils is the lack of technology neutrality in regulations. Rather than accounting for the reduced environmental impact achievable at high speeds, current rules impose fixed speed limits. In Stockholm, a special exemption has been granted to support research and testing. However, this is unlikely to happen in countries such as Germany. Berlin is set to receive a hydrofoil this year, but previous information indicates that the vessel won’t be permitted to travel at high speeds.