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Ulstein Design News

02 Nov 2023

Singapore Firm Orders Next-Gen Cable Ship Design

Singapore-based Megamas Resources, in partnership with Renaissance Technologies (RTM) has contracted Ulstein Design & Solutions AS to design a cable-laying and repair vessel. According to a press release issued Thursday, the decision to press ahead with the order was taken in view of the shortage of cable ships, as well as an aging fleet in the submarine cable industry. Megamas Resources plans to build two cable layers, with the first targeted to be ready for service in early 2026, to fill the gap in meeting the industry demand.

01 Nov 2023

First Steel Cut for Bernhard Schulte Offshore's New CSOV

Credit: Ulstein

The steel-cutting ceremony was held Tuesday for the first of two TWIN X-STERN CSOV vessels for Bernhard Schulte Offshore in CRIST, Poland.The vessel's hull will take shape in Gdynia before being transported to Ulstein Verft for further outfitting, testing, and completion.The CSOVs will have a centrally located motion-compensated gangway for walk-to-work operations, a lift tower for the transfer of personnel and cargo, and the capacity to accommodate 132 people on board.Credit: UlsteinThe vessels, being built to support offshore wind operations, have been designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions

26 Sep 2023

Fugro to Convert Two PSVs to Geotechnical Vessels

(Photo: Ulstein)

Dutch offshore survey firm Fugro will convert the Fugro Resilience and the Topaz Endurance, two ULSTEIN PX121 platform supply vessels (PSVs), to geotechnical vessels, targeting their deployment in the global offshore renewable energy market.Fugro acquired the two platform supply vessels, the Topaz Endurance and the Topaz Energy (renamed Fugro Resilience), in February 2023.Ulstein Design & Solutions AS is responsible for the redesign of the two vessels, and on September 22, 2023, Fugro awarded Ulstein Verft a contract to convert the Fugro Resilience. Both vessels were built in 2015.

07 Jun 2023

Ulstein to Design Two More Offshore Wind Vessels for Acta Marine

©Ulstein

Ulstein Design & Solutions has signed a contract with Turkey's Tersan Shipyard for two methanol-fuelled ULSTEIN SX216 Construction Service Operating Vessel (CSOV) designs. The vessels will be constructed for the Dutch company Acta Marine and will be number 3 and 4 with the TWIN X-STERN solution in the Acta Marine fleet.The SX216 vessel series has a length of 89,9m, a beam of 19,2m and accommodates up to 135 POB. It has a walk-to-work (W2W) motion-compensated gangway for safe personnel transfer to the turbines…

31 May 2023

Cyan, Taya in Offshore Wind Vessel Collab in Taiwan

Illustraton - Credit: Ulstein (file image)

Singapore-based Cyan Renewables said Wednesday it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to partner with Taiya Renewable Energy, a Taiwanese offshore wind farm development company. Under the MOU, Cyan and Taiya will collaborate to build vessel capacity, including CLV, FIV and WTIV vessels, and work together on deployment in Taiwan and other markets. The MOU also outlines partnerships on key infrastructure like offshore wind supply base, as well as working together to establish new local partnerships and strengthen governmental and industry-academia cooperation in Taiwan…

24 Apr 2023

Ocean Albatros, Sixth Infinity Class Ship, Delivered to SunStone

Image courtesy SunStone Maritime Group A/S

Expedition cruise company SunStone Maritime Group A/S recently received its sixth Infinity class vessel, the Ocean Albatros. Final documentswere signed on Thursday, April 20, completing delivery of the vessel from the CMHI Shipyard in Haimen, China, to the SunStone companies. The ship will be on a year-round charter to Albatros Expeditions.Infinity Class Vessels are 104 m long and 18 m wide, with a draft of 5.1 m. They feature a passenger capacity between 130 and 200 and a crew capacity between 85 and 115.

24 Apr 2023

Ulstein Says Its U-STERN to Offer a Safer, Smarter Installation of Large Offshore Wind Monopiles

©Ulstein

Ship design company Ulstein Design & Solutions has designed an offshore wind installation vessel that it says is "a safer, smarter, and more competitive ship design solution for transporting, upending and installing large monopiles on DP."The patent-pending U-STERN design, according to the company, enables longitudinal storage of monopiles and upending in the ship center line. "This allows the ship to head into the waves during the installation process, minimizing ship motions and fuel consumption, while the U-STERN provides excellent shielding from the waves.

20 Apr 2023

Ulstein to Design Cyan Renewables' Offshore Foundation Installation Vessels

Credit: Ulstein

Singapore-based Cyan Renewables has contracted Ulstein Design & Solutions BV to design a series of new floating foundation installation vessels (FFIV) dedicated to offshore wind. Ulstein said that the new FFIVs would feature adequate deck space and crane capacity to meet developments in foundation design, including monopiles and jackets. In addition, they will also have low emission capability, using a hybrid power system consisting of dual-fuel engines (methanol), shore power and a battery energy storage system.Torgeir E.

05 Apr 2023

Turkish Shipyard Cuts First Steel for Offshore Wind Farm Support Vessel for Dutch Owner

Credit: Tersan Shipyard

Turkey's Tersan Shipyard last week celebrated the steel cutting of NB1121, the second offshore wind farm support vessel being built for Acta Marine projects.The shipyard is building two DP2 construction service operation vessels (CSOV) powered with Methanol and MDO/HVO for the Dutch vessel owner. The construction of the first vessel kicked off in January.Designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions AS with the cooperation of Acta Marine, the two vessels are planned to serve in the offshore wind market.

16 Mar 2023

Keel Laid for Olympic's CSOV in Poland

©Ulstein

A keel laying ceremony was held earlier this week for a Construction Service Operation Vessel ordered by Olympic in 2022 from Ulstein.The ceremony was held on March 14 at the hull yard CRIST. This is vessel number two, yard number (yno) 319. The keel for the first vessel, yno 318, was laid on January 31, this year.The two vessels are designed for the offshore wind industry and are based on the ULSTEIN SX222 design with TWIN X-STERN from Ulstein Design & Solutions AS.According to Ulstein…

21 Feb 2023

Vard Electro's SeaQ Comms System Selected for CSOV Duo

©Vard Electro

Norwegian marine electrical systems Vard Electro will supply its SeaQ Communication system onboard two construction service operation vessels (CSOVs) being built by Ulstein for end client Olympic. Vard Electro signed the contract with Ulstein.According to Vard Electro, the SeaQ Communication will provide the vessels with "a robust infrastructure and enhance the crew’s efficiency and safety while at sea."The set of systems is designed and integrated to meet the demanding conditions of maritime operations and provides crew members with added comfort through infotainment features…

20 Feb 2023

Offshore Wind: Uptime's Gangways for Diamond SOV

©James Fisher

James Fisher and Sons plc and Uptime International have signed a memorandum of understanding to partner for the use of motion compensated gangways in the development of the pioneering Ulstein SX221 Diamond SOV. The duo said that the agreement would ensure the safety and efficiency of offshore personnel through autonomous and intelligent operations.The news is related to the Diamond Consortium’s ULSTEIN SX221 Diamond SOV concept, announced in June 2022. With James Fisher representing the Diamond Consortium…

17 Feb 2023

SunStone Orders Seventh INFINITY Class Cruise Ship

(Image: Ulstein Design & Solutions AS)

SunStone Ships has ordered a seventh cruise vessel in its INFINITY class. Designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions AS, these vessels were the first to introduce the patented X-BOW design in the cruise industry.“We have signed a new contract with the CMHI Haimen yard for the construction of a new X-BOW expedition cruise vessel of the ULSTEIN CX103 design,” said Lars Ståle Skoge, commercial director at Ulstein Design & Solutions.Although all the SunStone vessels in this class are designed on the same platform…

08 Feb 2023

Frontiers Extend as Developers Eye Floating Wind Potential

CREST Wind, a joint venture between Crowley and ESVAGT, has selected Fincantieri Marine Group to build a service operation vessel for operations in the U.S. offshore wind sector. (Image: CREST Wind)

America may have only entered the offshore wind sector recently, but it is wasting no time in playing catch-up. The White House has set targets of 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 110 GW by 2050. The focus so far has centred on bottom-fixed installations, but the prospect of higher energy yields in deeper waters where the wind blows stronger and longer now beckon. The White House has also set a floating wind deployment target of 15 GW by 2035.From a standing start, there are immense challenges in America’s offshore wind development.

19 Jan 2023

First Steel Cut in Turkey for Acta Marine's New Offshore Wind Vessel Duo

Credit: Ulstein

The steel cutting ceremony of the first of two next-generation Methanol MDO/HVO-powered DP2 Construction Service Operating Vessels for Acta Marine was held on January 18, 2023, at Tersan in Turkey. The SX216 design of the vessel has been developed exclusively and in close collaboration with Ulstein Design & Solutions AS.The steel cutting is the official kick-off for the construction of the Acta Marine CSOVs at the shipyard. The 89-meter-long vessels will have motion-compensated crane and a motion-compensated gangway provided by SMST…

13 Jan 2023

Vessel Retrofits Could Accelerate U.S. Offshore Wind Development

Photo courtesy Bernhard Schulte Offshore /Matthias Giebichenstein

The U.S. Administration’s strategy to fast-track offshore wind development is exciting for overseas shipbuilders and service providers in the field. Joint ventures meeting Jones Act requirements will support accelerating development. Some question, however, whether ambitious 2030 targets can actually be achieved.Ulstein group is a front runner. The Norwegian-based company has already provided the design for a rock installation vessel now under construction for a joint venture between Houston-based Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (GLDD) and Netherlands based Van Oord.

13 Dec 2022

Data Processes 4x Faster: How Ulstein Does It

(Image: Ulstein Design & Solutions BV)

How do you excel at ship design? Bart Daman, Manager Naval Architecture at Ulstein Design & Solutions BV in Rotterdam, has an answer: "In our case, by combining specialist knowledge and expertise focused on certain niche markets with data-driven work. This allows us to quickly develop new high-quality ship designs. Our customers experience the difference, and we often hear that they are impressed by the quality of the information we provide. From quotations to full construction specifications…

30 Nov 2022

Keel Laying Ceremony Held for Two Shanghai Electric SOVs

Shanghai Electric's SX195 and SX197 SOV vessels under construction at the ZPMC yard - Credit: Ulstein

A keel-laying ceremony was held for two Ulstein-designed offshore wind service operation vessels (SOV) on Wednesday at the ZPMC yard.Shanghai Electric, a Chinese wind turbine manufacturer, ordered the two vessels of the Ulstein SX195 and SX197 designs.The SX195 is scheduled for delivery at the end of 2023, while the SX197 is expected to be delivered in early 2024.The vessels offer accommodation for 60 POB and 100 POB respectively. The design includes Ulstein's X-BOW and the X-STERN design for soft motions and increased comfort.

28 Nov 2022

Zero-C Offshore: A New UK Firm Aiming to Address ‘Chronic’ FIV Shortage

(Image: Zero-C Offshore)

The global offshore wind industry is staring down a potential shortage of foundation installation vessel capacity. A new UK company led by former offshore drilling executive Jon Oliver Bryce intends to help tackle this challenge as the industry’s first pure-play foundation installation vessel (FIV) firm.The number of planned offshore wind projects globally is growing, spurred by green targets and a shift away from Russian oil and gas. This growth, alongside a shift toward the next generation of larger offshore wind turbines…

26 Oct 2022

Sylvia Earle & Ocean Odyssey: Sunstone Takes Expedition Cruise Ship Pair from China

SunStone Maritime Group A/S took delivery of two Infinity class ships -- Sylvia Earle (pictured) and Ocean Odyssey -- from the CMHI Shipyard in Haimen, China. Photo courtesy Sunstone

SunStone Maritime Group A/S took delivery of two Infinity class ships -- Sylvia Earle and Ocean Odyssey -- from the CMHI Shipyard in Haimen, China. The pair are the fourth and the fifth of the Infinity class delivered from China Merchant Heavy Industries, and both will be on long-term, year-round charter: the SYLVIA EARLE with Aurora Expeditions, and the OCEAN ODYSSEY with Vantage Deluxe World Travel.The Infinity series of ships represents a collaboration between European design and technology and Chinese shipbuilding.Infinity class ships measure 104 x 18m with a 5.1m draft.

04 Oct 2022

Shearwater to Introduce Deepwater Dual-ROV OBN Deployment Vessel

Credit: Shearwater GeoServices

Marine seismic survey services specialist Shearwater GeoServices is set to introduce its first dual ROV seismic vessel, which the company says will be equipped with a broad scope of operational capabilities. "Designed to deploy ocean bottom nodes in both deep and shallow water, the vessel will also be able to provide high-quality source for surveys and conduct towed streamer surveys," Shearwater said.The dual ROV vessel, under Shearwater ownership and management, is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2023 following a conversion of the SW Tasman multipurpose vessel.

28 Sep 2022

Ulstein Develops High-capacity Foundation Installation Vessel

(Image: Ulstein)

Norwegian-based shipbuilding and design group Ulstein has unveiled the design for a new foundation installation vessel enabling operators and contractors to efficiently transport and install monopiles or jacket foundations up to 5,000 tons.The new ULSTEIN HX122 vessel features an ULSTEIN X-BOW and an ultra-high-capacity 8,000 mt crane, engineered for the next generation of foundations in the offshore wind industry.Market analysts and brokers have flagged a projected shortage of foundation installation vessels as existing tonnage and newbuild orders are expected to lag behind projected demand.

07 Oct 2022

Molten Salt Reactors: Maritime’s Nuclear Option

Multipurpose: an illustration of Ulstein International’s nuclear-powered Thor showing its ship-to-ship resupply boom and passenger transfer, and below a close-up of a replenishment operation. Image courtesy Ulstein International

A race is being run by nuclear scientists and ship designers. The prize? “Decarbonization’s” holy grail — believed to be a “small” thorium-fueled, molten-salt rector’s unlimited power to propel sea trade. At the same time, a recently revived discussion among leading marine-nuclear thinkers revolves now around how to put an ultra-modern, as-yet non-existent marine reactor aboard a modern commercial vessel. As with nuclear power generally, shipborne reactors produce national discussion first, then discovery.

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