"When a viral Drake Passage video surfaced showing huge swells crashing over the bow of Quark Expeditions' Ocean Explorer, it wasn't just the power of the Southern Ocean that made waves. 
The real star? The ship's cutting-edge X-BOW design." 

This quote comes from Alex Loizou at Mundy Adventure. 
With his permission, the whole story continues below. 

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28 November 2024: The 'Douglas Mawson' expedition cruise vessel, an ULSTEIN CX103 design, has been successfully launched at the CMHI shipyard, China. 

The Douglas Mawson, featuring the ULSTEIN X-BOW, offers high passenger comfort with her immersive bow lounge and panoramic observation areas. She meets Solas 2020 stability requirements and is tailored to client specifications, accommodating up to 300 people.

Aurora Expeditions, the Australian-owned expedition travel company, will soon welcome its third purpose-built small expedition ship, Douglas Mawson, to its family of pioneering vessels. The cruise vessel, based on the ULSTEIN CX103 design, is due to begin sailing in December 2025.

Marking a significant achievement in the world of expedition cruising, SunStone Maritime Group recently celebrated the start of construction for their seventh and final Infinity-class vessel, based on the ULSTEIN CX103 design. 

The cruise industry was set to a halt when the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Our fresh market study shows that the cruise industry is projected to experience substantial growth ahead.

The CMHI Haimen yard, China, delivered SunStone's sixth expedition cruise vessel in the Infinity class, the Ocean Albatros, on Thursday, 20 April 2023. The vessel will operate on year-round charter for Albatros Expeditions.

The CX103 designed, polar expedition cruise vessel Ocean Albatros is preparing for her first journey, and these days there is hectic activity to finalise the interior. Work is proceeding on the reception, the carpet is being installed in the lecture area and the mud room is taking shape.

SunStone Ships goes for another cruise vessel in its INFINITY class. All the vessels in this class are designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions AS. These vessels were the first to introduce the patented X-BOW design in the cruise industry, a solution that has been warmly welcomed by cruise passengers and crews alike.

The CX103 designs, Ocean Odyssey and Sylvia Earle, have been delivered from the CMHI shipyard in Haimen, China to SunStone. The final documents were signed on 21 October 2022, completing the delivery. This series of vessels is the first expedition cruise vessels to implement the X-BOW feature for increased comfort.

‘Ocean Albatros’, ship number six in the SunStone Ships’ INFINITY series, had her launching ceremony on 16 September 2022 at the CMHI Haimen yard. Ulstein Design & Solutions is providing the design and equipment package for this project.

Albatros Expeditions recently announced that their brand new expedition cruise vessel, Ocean Albatros, "is almost in the water and will soon be undergoing sea trials." She is scheduled to arrive for their Arctic 2023 season, and the ship operator is more than excited to be receiving her.

"Yesterday, in Lallemand Fjord, the fast ice edge was packed with ice. We had to go deep in for an ice landing. It felt like a 'Shackleton experience' surrounded by ice. It was probably one of the most stunning ice walk experiences in my life. After dinner, I married a couple under the bow of the ship."

A keel-laying ceremony has been held for the ‘Ocean Albatros’, SunStone Ships’ new expedition cruise vessel, at the CMHI shipyard, China, on 20 January 2022. The ship is number six in the INFINITY class of X-BOW expedition ships, all designed by Ulstein.

The ‘Ocean Victory’, one in a series of X-BOW expedition cruise vessels of the CX103 design by Ulstein, has been officially named in South Georgia in the Atlantic Ocean.