SINGAPORE – The AirFish, a hovercraft-like vessel that skims over water, will start commercial operations by the third quarter of 2026, taking passengers from Singapore to a nearby destination.
Giving these details in reply to a question at a media conference on Feb 1, Mr Kevin Chow, head of aerostructures and systems at ST Engineering’s commercial aerospace division, said the group will be announcing at the Singapore Airshow a partnership with a ferry operator to run this route.
The air show will take place from Feb 3 to 8 at the Changi Exhibition Centre.
The Straits Times has asked ST Engineering about the destination for the AirFish’s commercial route.
It was previously reported that the AirFish
can be used for maritime travel between islands
, such as between Singapore and Batam or Bintan in Indonesia.
Measuring 17m long and 15m wide, the AirFish is designed to be operated by two crew, and can carry six to eight passengers.
It is a wing-in-ground or waterborne craft that operates on the principle of ground effect to skim above the water’s surface.
Ground effect improves the lifting characteristics of an aircraft’s wing when it is near the ground. Air beneath a wing is compressed when it is close to the ground, creating a cushioning effect.
The AirFish can skim above the waves at 90 knots, which is significantly faster that typical seagoing fast ferries that tend to travel at 30 knots.
It can cover distances of up to 300 nautical miles.
At the Singapore Airshow 2024, Eurasia Mobility Solutions in Turkey had
placed an order for up to 10 AirFish
, with options for 10 more, to serve Turkey’s tourism and private transport sectors.
Engineering and certification tests for the AirFish were slated to begin from the third quarter of 2024, twice monthly, in an area off Changi.
Mr Chow added that ST Engineering has been making good progress in certifying this craft and that flight trials will take place in the second quarter of 2026 as part of the certification process.
ST Engineering previously said ST Engineering AirX – a joint venture between the technology and engineering group and Singapore-based start-up Peluca – will work with a classification society to obtain a validated technical assessment and certification for the vehicle’s classification as a maritime vessel.