""For typical boats, there's a lot of friction on the sea," explains Leon Tan, vice president of ST Engineering AirX, the wing of the firm which oversees the craft's design. The AirFish caters to travelers who "want point-to-point speed", he tells Fortune, as it achieves a velocity of up to 100 knots (116 miles per hour), comparable to a light aircraft."
"The AirFish harnesses the ground effect, which occurs when air becomes compressed between a wing and a surface, producing lift and reducing drag. This reduces how much energy the craft uses when it travels across the water's surface, much like how an albatross glides for long distances with minimal energy. (The former Soviet Union was a one of the largest proponents of ground-effect vehicles, which officials dubbed 'ekranoplans', and considered using as military vehicles)."
"ST Engineering has already inked two partnerships for the AirFish, including one with ferry operator BatamFast to run trips between Singapore and the Indonesian town of Batam, with the first journeys starting in the third quarter of 2026. An AirFish can complete the journey in 25 minutes, half the time of a typical ferry. The firm also announced on Feb. 3 that Indian operator Wings Over Water Ferries will also lease and operate up to four vessels in India by late 2026."
ST Engineering introduced the ten-seat AirFish, a ground-effect vehicle that glides one to three meters above water and reaches up to 100 knots, offering light-aircraft comparable speeds. The craft uses compressed air between wing and surface to produce lift and reduce drag, lowering energy consumption similar to albatross flight. Two commercial partnerships have been signed: BatamFast will run Singapore–Batam routes starting in the third quarter of 2026 with 25-minute crossings, and Wings Over Water Ferries will lease up to four vessels for India by late 2026. ST Engineering is shifting from MRO services toward original equipment manufacturing.
Read at Fortune
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