Heavy Offshore Construction

The hull for yard number 323 arrived at Ulstein Verft on 6 December 2025. This marks another milestone in the construction of our next-generation offshore wind service vessel, which is the tenth TWIN X-STERN CSOV since 2022. The vessel is based on Ulstein’s proven SX222 design platform. 

Aurora Expeditions' Douglas Mawson was officially named in Sydney on 27 November 2025 before embarking on her inaugural trip to Tasmania. This milestone marks history as the first expedition vessel featuring Ulstein’s X-BOW® design to operate in Australian waters. More than a striking visual signature, this pioneering hull shape represents a breakthrough in maritime engineering.

Guiding a nearly 150-metre-long newbuild vessel out of the dock hall with less than one metre of clearance on each side, while the wind presses from all directions, leaves no room for error. It demands meticulous planning, absolute precision, and a team that knows exactly what to do.

On 15 November 2025, Yard number 322 was successfully towed and positioned inside the dock hall at Ulstein Verft. The project is progressing according to plan, and key activities are now underway.

At Ampelmann’s Walk-to-Work Conference in Rotterdam on 4 November 2025, Henrik Høidal, system architect at Ulstein Design & Solutions AS, delivered a presentation that sparked lively discussions about the future of offshore wind logistics. The topic was the SX250 vessel, a concept challenging today’s thinking on size and operational capability.

On 13 November 2025, the Nexans Electra cable laying vessel (CLV) was positioned quayside at Ulstein Verft, marking a major milestone in the vessel’s journey towards completion. During its time at Ulstein Verft, the vessel has been in a roofed, controlled environment, ensuring optimal conditions for work environment and precision painting.

The shipbuilding construction of Nexans Electra is approaching its final phase in the dock, before the comprehensive work continues quayside ahead of sea trials in spring 2026. How do you organise a staff of hundreds of workers, subcontractors and suppliers over several months to deliver the project on time and within budget? Join project manager Runar Toftesund at Ulstein Verft for a look behind the scenes.

The Ålesund-based company Blue Ctrl is making strategic changes to its leadership to strengthen its continued growth and position within the maritime technology sector. On 1 November, Marielle Furnes Mannseth will assume the role of Managing Director of the company.

Aurora Expeditions welcomed its third X-BOW cruise vessel, Douglas Mawson, in September 2025. “Many of our guests have travelled on other expedition ships before and immediately notice the difference. Whether it’s sleeping better at night, feeling less vibration during lectures, or spending more time in observation areas, the design truly enhances the experience,” says Katie Malone, Chief Marketing Officer at Aurora Expeditions, when commenting on the X-BOW design feature.