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.

The total number of walk-to-work (w2w) vessel designs and redesigns by Ulstein now counts 22, of which 16 are currently in operation. On average, these vessels perform repair and maintenance on more than 5,000 turbines every year! That makes a stunning 95,000+ gangway connections!

Subsea rock installation is essential for offshore projects, and for over twenty years, Ulstein Design & Solutions BV has been leading the way in vessel design.

In today's evolving maritime industry, ship owners encounter challenges and opportunities. What options do you have when markets are unpredictable? Sometimes it's all about striking that perfect balance.

"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. 

In February 2025, Ulstein introduced the innovative SX250 design, a vessel specifically engineered to excel in wave heights up to 2 metres Hs. This strategic design choice aligns perfectly with real-world operational data, revealing that 94.2% of walk-to-work (w2w) operations occur in conditions with wave heights below 2 metres. 

In the competitive world of cruise ship ownership, making smart investments is crucial. Ulstein's innovative cruise ship designs offer unparalleled value, combining efficiency, safety, and sustainability. Here's nine reasons why investing in Ulstein's cruise vessels benefit ship owners, operators and passengers.

Innovative deliveries for more sustainable operations.

Taking bold commercial risks on novel vessel concepts with a strong focus on sustainability has made Olympic a pioneering player in the offshore energy sector. Its latest investment in a pair of new-build Construction Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) based on Ulstein Group’s innovative TWIN X-STERN® solution has paid off, with close to 50% reductions in fuel consumption and emissions to boost environmental performance.

The Offshore Oil & Gas (OO&G) sector is experiencing a resurgence, driven by stable oil prices and a focus on efficiency and sustainability. This recovery has led to robust cash flows and new investments, especially in upstream activities, presenting an opportunity to integrate environmentally friendly practices.

The Olympic Zeus, launched in 2009, introduced a hybrid power system, reducing fuel consumption by up to 70%. After reaching its 15th anniversary in 2024, it continues to set new fuel efficiency and environmental performance standards.

With over a century of history, Ulstein Group prides itself on its dedicated ship designers who are integral to the company. United by a mission of innovation, they strive to challenge conventional wisdom and develop new solutions that enhance customer value.

"Do you need to adjust your vessel for a new charter? Maybe add a mezzanine deck, calculate the deck strength or stability characteristics for a new crane? We are here to assist you," states project manager aftermarket, Roy Lindset, at Ulstein Design & Solutions AS.

Aptly nicknamed ‘A 4-wheel-drive for the seas’, the ULSTEIN TWIN X-STERN is celebrated for its exceptional manoeuvrability. To date, this innovative feature has been incorporated into ten newbuilds, all designed for the walk-to-work market and measuring up to 90m in length. The next likely segments to adopt the TWIN X-STERN are subsea and cable-laying. 

As offshore wind farms grow in size and number of turbines, the demand for the capacity of existing inter-array cable laying vessels (CLVs) intensifies. The next-generation CLV must be capable, cost-effective, and able to serve more and larger turbines.