EF-24: Artemis delivers three high-speed ferries with hydrofoil technology to Belfast for outfitting

Artemis recently announced the successful delivery of three EF-24 hydrofoil electric ferries to Beflast. The Artemis EF-24 Passenger is considered a high-speed ferry and uses hydrofoils to move primarily above the water, similar to the Boeing 929 (jetfoil), which is mainly used in East Asia, but significantly larger.

The EF-24 is a new hydrofoil design, offering around 150 seats. Its Boeing counterpart, in contrast, has almost twice the capacity and is powered by an aircraft engine. A few years ago, Kawasaki built a prototype under license from leftover parts. Since then, there has been little development in hydrofoil/jetfoil technology. Maintenance has been very intensive, even though the boats have the potential to replace or supplement air travel.

The EF-24 is now set to open up the waterways with high-speed electric ferries. Three routes are planned in the United Kingdom: from Belfast in Northern Ireland to Bangor in Wales, around the Orkney Islands in Scotland, and from Southampton in England to Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

The entire project has been delayed, as Artemis itself admits in its press release, due to unforeseen obstacles in implementing new propulsion technologies. Artemis is yet to announce when the electric ferries, which are currently being fitted out in Belfast, will go into service. If test runs prove successful, the chances of operation in 2026 look quite good.

The ferries typically travel at 34 knots, or about 63 km/h (39.15 mph), across water. Their range is stated as 70 nautical miles (approx. 130 km/80 mi), which is the range for fast hydrofoil operation. Normally, such boats only lift out of the water at some distance from the port. According to Artemis, the boats can reach high speeds quite quickly. Lifting the hull potentially causes significantly less damage to the coastline by generating fewer waves. However, this may require adjustments to shipping regulations.