Ulstein Unveils New Subsea Vessel

March 18, 2024, by Nadja Skopljak

Norwegian shipbuilder and ship designer Ulstein has developed a new subsea vessel for floating and fixed installations in the offshore wind market, as well as for offshore oil & gas.

Ulstein said that the SX232 is based on three core principles, including an optimized hull design based on the Ulstein Twin X-Stern, a smart power and propulsion system developed to minimize energy consumption during DP operations, and an integrated energy recovery system utilizing all the waste heat in the machinery systems (cooling water and exhaust).

According to the company, the design has been developed to include versatile fuel options and a battery energy storage system for peak shaving and spinning reserve purposes has been implemented.

The vessel’s forward section accommodates 130 people and includes two remotely operated vehicle (ROV) hangars. A moonpool is positioned at the rear of the accommodation block, complemented by an expansive flat deck spanning over 2,000 m2.

The basic platform has been configured with a 250-tonne offshore crane, but can also support a larger crane of 400 tonnes. With the upgraded crane capacity, the vessel is said to be capable of supporting the installation of suction anchors.

Furthermore, an alternative use of the ULSTEIN SX232 platform is for inter-array cable laying operations.

“The offshore energy market is booming, and so is the demand for subsea vessels that can operate in challenging environments and perform complex tasks. Whether installing, maintaining, or decommissioning offshore wind farms or oil and gas platforms, subsea vessels need to be flexible, efficient, and reliable,” Ulstein said.

“The offshore vessel market is experiencing a surge of optimism thanks to high growth rates in offshore energy investment, large order backlogs, and strengthening day rates. The positive trends in the offshore energy market led Ulstein to develop the ULSTEIN SX232, a new subsea vessel that combines innovation, versatility, and emission reduction.”