Elfly Group signs deal with Cambodia’s VET Airways for five ‘NOEMI’ seaplanes

Wednesday 9th July 2025

Torp, Norway/Phnom Penh, Cambodia.   Elfly Group, developers of the all-new NOEMI (no emissions electric seaplane) has signed an MoU, worth US$50 million, with Cambodia’s VET Airways for five aircraft, committing to bring clean, go-anywhere air travel to Southeast Asia.

This marks Elfly’s 52nd aircraft, ordered through customer MoUs, as demand for the all-electric, amphibious NOEMI takes off globally - from Denmark to Greece, Indonesia, Panama, and now Cambodia.  

“There’s a huge market for seaplanes in Asia,” enthused Neak Oknha Suo Vireak, CEO of VET Airways’ parent company, Vireak Buntham Express Co. Ltd.  “The amphibious NOEMI can fly straight from airports to the coast and out compete road transport, which is important as we are looking into using it in our logistics network too.”

This is the latest milestone from Elfly, coming hard on the heels of an exciting series of developments, including: 

• • Wind tunnel tests at KTH Stockholm confirms NOEMI’s low-drag, short take-off and landing (STOL) performance and stable, efficient flight.

  Elfly reports soft orders for a total 52 NOEMI’s, worth an estimated US$550 million, with further interest for US$3.000 million aircraft, worldwide.   First flight of the full-scale prototype is targeted for 2027, with entry into service in 2030.

  “Signing with VET Airways shows the world is ready for NOEMI,” said Eric Lithun, CEO of Elfly. “This is the go-anywhere amphibious aircraft that opens new routes, replaces outdated fleets and brings zero-emission flight where it’s never been before. The future of air travel is here - and it’s electric.”

  “NOEMI isn’t just a seaplane. It’s a platform ready for the next 100 years of flight, starting as a battery-electric seaplane but also prepared for hybrid, turboprop engines, sustainable fuels and even hydrogen. “We’ve built a fuselage and wing that outperform the venerable DHC-6 Twin Otter by a wide margin - and we’re just getting started,” Eric Lithun added.

  As NOEMI gains altitude, VET Airways plans to connect rivers, lakes and coastlines with clean, efficient flights, pushing sustainable regional air travel across Southeast Asia.

   

  

  L-R: Eric Lithun, CEO Elfly and Neak Oknha Suo Vireak, CEO of VET Airways’ parent company, Vireak Buntham Express Co. Ltd.

   

  About VET Airways (Vireak Buntham Express Co., Ltd)

  VET Airways is owned by Vireak Buntham Express, one of Cambodia’s largest transport and logistics companies.  It was founded by Neak Oknha Suo Vireak in 2004. Known for reliability and innovation, VET operates intercity transport across Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, serving millions with luxury hotel buses and logistics trucks. From a small Koh Kong team, VET has grown to 5,000 employees nationwide.

  In 2024, VET began rolling out electric trucks as part of its commitment to sustainability and has now set its sights on expanding to Laos.

  Now, with NOEMI, VET is expanding into regional aviation to connect cities, islands, rivers and coastlines sustainably. The company is committed to pioneering zero-emission air transport across Southeast Asia, bringing cleaner, smarter mobility to the region.

   

  About Elfly Group

  Norwegian aerospace company, Elfly Group is building NOEMI (No Emissions), the world’s first all-electric amphibious seaplane for regional, commercial use. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Bergen, with R&D at Torp Airport, Elfly’s mission is to build zero-emission, go-anywhere aircraft that connect people, empower regions, and flip the script on regional flight.  To date it has secured 52 aircraft commitments through customer MoUs across Europe, North America and Southeast Asia.