Norwegian ship designer and shipbuilder Ulstein kicked off the month of June with a series of concepts, including their Discovery Series concept of three different vessels in the exploration, cruising and coastal patrolling categories.
The efficient hull, the propulsion set-up, low friction bottom paint and reduced weight from alternative hull material all contribute to reducing fuel oil consumption, Ulstein says.
The X-BOW has a major impact on seakeeping and comfort. X-BOW vessels are capable of either maintaining speed in harsh sea, or reducing their impact on the environment by reducing speed and, consequently, saving significant amounts of fuel.
A patrol vessel has to be tough to tackle harsh weather, and it needs a lot of power in order to maintain speed. Cruise and explorer vessels, on the other hand, need more than speed and robustness.
”We’re considering alternative hull materials, such as composites, and the use of alternative energy sources such as solar panels. Energy conservation is of major importance, and battery banks save the energy gained from renewable energy for portioning out to the user as needed,” said Tore Ulstein, deputy CEO of Ulstein Group.
”The norm for all our designs is a holistic profile in which the eco footprint is key. These categories of ships have slender and cost-efficient hulls that create little resistance in the sea. At the same time, they are robust and offshore-tough.”
Building on its award-winning X-STERN concept , Ulstein has launched the TWIN X-STERN vessel which eliminates a bow from walk-to-work vessels. When the vessel’s main function is walk-to-work services in the offshore renewable sector, a heightened stern can operate either way, thus facilitating on-site DP positioning, says Ulstein.
”Take wind turbine farms as an example: the size of coastal wind turbines is limited. By moving the farms further from the shore, the wind turbines can increase in size. The TWIN X-STERN vessels will be ideal for maintaining large-scale wind farming activities far from the shore,” said chief designer Øyvind Gjerde Kamsvåg.
Within the TWIN X-STERN, Ulstein has been exploring new crane technology, such as the patent-pending ULSTEIN COLIBRI, an electric-driven solution for motion compensation at the crane tip.
The vessel is equipped with a powerful, azimuthing rim-driven counter-rotating twin-propeller propulsion unit with variable nozzle geometry at each end. The vessel can head into open water in harsh weather while maintaining gentle, comfortable movements for the crew’s well-being. The two smaller main propulsion units provide the same power as one large unit but with increased fuel-efficiency. Operations are optimised as the captain can vary between transit modes and high-thrust modes.
The vessel can be equipped with a transferral ramp on both the star board and port side of the bridge. Additionally, a large W2W ramp for oil and gas rigs can be integrated into the vessel for more flexibility.
The asymmetrical bridge can be made of composite material and is placed midship, diagonally above the work deck. The operating bridge is placed as a lookout platform on both the starboard and port sides, close to the ramp on either side, giving a full overview of the nearest ramp as well as the complete work deck area. The helideck is placed on top of the bridge, where the movements are at the lowest.