Ulstein Announces Shipbuilding Deals

The CSV for Acta Marine will be part of the new SX195 design from Ulstein Design & Solutions AS. Image: Ulstein

Norwegian shipbuilding group Ulstein announced two unrelated ship orders on Monday, including a Letter of Intent signed for the world’s largest hybrid vessel and a contract for a wind farm construction vessel. 

Wind Farm CSV

First Ulstein Verft AS said it had signed a contract for the construction of a DP2 Construction Support Vessel (CSV) for Netherlands-based Acta Marine B.V. The vessel will be designed to operate primarily in the offshore wind market, featuring Ulstein’s patented X-STERN design, a motion-compensated gangway system, and a 3D-motion crane. The CSV will measure 93.4 meters in length and is 18 meters wide, and can accommodate up to 120 people in 80 cabins.

Ulstein says the vessel will provide for “walk-to-work” transfer of personnel and cargo, efficient and safe in significant wave-heights up to 3.0 meters.

The vessel is scheduled for delivery early 2018.

World’s Largest Hybrid Vessel

Also on Tuesday, Ulstein Verft announced that a Letter of Intent (LOI) has been signed with Color Line for the construction of the largest hybrid vessel in the world – a car and passenger ferry to operate between Sweden and Norway. 

The ferry will be built as a plug-in hybrid, where the batteries can be recharged via plug-in shore power or on board by the ship’s generators.

The vessel is planned to enter service between Sandefjord, Norway and Strömstad, Sweden in summer 2019, replacing an older and less efficient vessel. The ferry will be 160 meters long and have a capacity of 2,000 passengers and about 500 cars. Ulstein says the ship will be able to operate full battery power into and out of the fjord to Sandefjord, reducing or eliminating harmful greenhouse gases or nitrogen and sulphur emissions.

“The signing of the LOI represents a significant step to realize the world’s largest plug-in hybrid ship, and it is very gratifying that the Norwegian shipbuilding industry has proved to be competitive internationally,” says Trond Kleivdal at Color Line.