Bourbon Offshore Norway has now signed a contract with Ulstein Yard for the construction of two ULSTEIN PX105s. These will be the first two platform supply vessels (PSVs) in the world with the ULSTEIN X-BOW™ . Earlier this year BON contracted the first anchor handling vessel with this type of bow.

Bourbon Offshore Norway has ordered two Ulstein PX105
platform supply vessels from Ulstein Verft

“The bow design eliminates slamming by the sea. The shape means the vessel can achieve higher speeds in all conditions, and fuel economy is good,” reports Tore Ulstein, president of both Ulstein Design and Ulstein Verft.

“When we signed the contract for an ULSTEIN AX104 anchor handling vessel in April, it was because we had great faith in the new hull shape. The extremely good results from the model tests for the anchor handling vessel convinced us that the ULSTEIN X-BOW™ is the way ahead for offshore vessels. We think there is even more to be gained from a PSV with this new bow, as these types of vessels are continuously in traffic. They work in a shuttle system between land and the platforms and have to be reliable also in bad weather. The seaworthiness with the ULSTEIN X-BOW™ is so good that a vessel could be in operation even when the weather means other vessels have to stay in port. Fuel consumption is also reduced,” says Bourbon Offshore Norway’s managing director, Trond Myklebust, who recently succeeded Jostein Sætrenes. Ulstein Verft’s sales manager, Harald Møller, confirms what Myklebust says about the ULSTEIN PX105’s operational reliability: “Low angles of entry, no bulb, a converted bow and a hull that is drawn right up to the wheel house mean that there is no slamming or spray on deck. The good seaworthiness will make the vessel a fantastic place to work,” he says.