Artemis Technologies has officially debuted its new electric hydrofoil vessel, the EF-12 Pilot, purpose-built for maritime pilotage. The craft is designed to rise above the water on foils at speed, sharply reducing drag and improving efficiency. It delivers a top speed of 30 knots (nearly 56 km/h) and a typical cruising speed of 25 knots (46 km/h).
Designed for Rapid, Safe Transfers
The higher operating speed means harbor pilots can be transferred to and from large incoming ships more quickly than with conventional craft. Throughout 2024, Artemis conducted sea trials that confirmed the EF-12 Pilot handles wakes reliably—even when running fully foil-borne. The company also demonstrated that the vessel can make a swift approach and come safely alongside a ship in displacement mode, closing to a distance that allows a pilot to step between the two hulls without compromising safety.
Operational Milestone and Final Trials
According to Artemis, the first EF-12 unit is now in the water and will complete a concluding phase of testing before it enters regular operational service. This marks a tangible step beyond the prototype stage and into real-world commercial readiness.
Navigating the Regulatory Landscape
Hydrofoils have drawn renewed interest as electrification has progressed, and Artemis is concurrently developing larger foil-borne vessels. The broader sector has also attracted competitors: a recent trial in Sweden by Candela demonstrated that foiling craft produce substantially less disruptive wake energy along shorelines compared to planing hulls. Yet a persistent obstacle remains the absence of technology-neutral rules in many jurisdictions. Current regulations often impose blanket speed limits that do not account for the greatly reduced environmental footprint a hydrofoil maintains at higher speeds. Stockholm has granted a specific exemption to enable ongoing research and testing, but such flexibility is expected to be rare elsewhere. In Germany, for example, a hydrofoil is slated to arrive in Berlin this year; previous guidance already indicates the vessel will not be allowed to travel at high speed, underscoring how regulatory frameworks have yet to catch up with the technology.