After the launch of the ULSTEIN X-BOW® concept in 2005, the bow has received, or been nominated for, a number of Innovation Awards. The first was the Norwegian Engineering Feat of the Year from the magazine “Teknisk Ukeblad” in 2005.
The Norwegian Engineering Feat of the Year award is awarded to an engineering solution to a technical or social problem and that has local, national or international significance for society. The solution is intended to represent a good idea that has demonstrated commercial viability or socio-economic significance that has been carried out or finished during the period 2004-2005.
More about the X-BOW
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.