A steel cutting ceremony was held for the CX103 expedition cruise design, the ‘Sylvia Earle’, on 16 March 2020 at the CMHI Haimen yard, China. She has been designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions AS for SunStone Ships.
The Sylvia Earle is the sister vessel of the Greg Mortimer, which was delivered in September 2019. Operator for both vessels is the Australian cruise company Aurora Expeditions.
The Sylvia Earle is vessel number 2 in SunStone's INFINITY series, and the fourth of the Ulstein designed exploration cruise vessels under construction at this yard.
Designed with the X-BOW® hull, the vessel will provide the best possible comfort for passengers in rough head seas, as well as being fuel efficient.
Fuel costs are rising, emission requirements are tightening, and vessel owners are searching for long-term energy solutions. A concept study by Ulstein indicates that a nuclear hybrid solution could reduce conventional fuel consumption by more than 50%, and in some operational modes eliminate it entirely.
In expedition cruising, time at the destination is the product being sold. A vessel that arrives hours earlier at its destination creates more time for guest experiences. That time can be converted into additional landings, extra Zodiac excursions, more wildlife encounters and, ultimately, a richer expedition experience.
Effective from 1 September 2026, Knut L. Barstad assumes the position of Managing Director of Ulstein Verft. Barstad currently serves as Deputy Managing Director at the yard and has worked at Ulstein since 2018.