Increased operational window

Lower fuel consumption

Reduced emissions

Safer workplace

Increased volume
Improved comfort
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X-BOW

HULL LINE DESIGN

X-BOW

- GENERAL DESCRIPTION
PRINCIPAL CHARACTERISTICS
A novel hull shape with a redistributed foreship volume and substantially reduced fare
A raised foreship, which normally incorporates accommodation
OPTIMISED HULL SHAPE
The shape of the hull has been optimised with a view to high
top speeds, low resistance and reduced fuel consumption. Great
emphasis has been placed on the crews safety and comfort.
X-BOW

BENEFITS
An X-BOW

vessel is characterised by its slender hull water line

and a smoother volume distribution in the foreship. The many
benefts of the X-BOW

hull line design have been documented
through tank tests performed by recognised maritime institutions
and feedback from the owners and users of vessels with X-BOW

:
EFFICIENCY AND ENVIRONMENT
- Signifcantly more energy-efcient shape in waves
- Higher transit speed
- Reduced power consumption
- Improved fuel efciency
- Reduced emissions
- Increased operational time
- Increased schedule-keeping
SAFETY AND COMFORT
- Elimination of slamming and bow impact
- Soft entry in waves
- Less spray
- Low acceleration levels
- Reduced vibration levels
- Increased comfort and available crew rest time
- Safer workplace due to smoother motions
and protection provided by hull
INTRODUCING A NEW BOW
At the beginning of the new millennium, ULSTEIN started a design
innovation project challenging traditional solutions and conventions.
Drawing on decades of ship design experience, a new bow concept
slowly emerged on paper. By introducing a larger and smoother
volume distribution in the foreship, which allows for submersion,
combined with a sharper bow shape, the typical challenges of
conventional bow shapes were solved. Preliminary sketches of a
vessel with the new, backward-sloping bow were presented in a
company magazine.

VISION POSSIBLE
Bourbon Ofshore Norway believed in the new bow concept and worked
closely with ULSTEIN on the development of the frst vessel design
with the X-BOW

hull line design - an anchor handling tug supply vessel

(AHTS) of the AX104 type - launched in 2005. The frst vessel of this
type, Bourbon Orca, was delivered in 2006 and received a number
of awards, including the Norwegian Design Councils design award,
the Engineering Feat of the Year, and Ofshore Support Journals and
Skipsrevyens Ship of the Year Awards. Other vessel designs with the
X-BOW

hull line design have since received similar distinctions.

FROM VISION TO WORLDWIDE REALITY
Since the new bow concept was frst launched, it has been in
demand, and today over 40 ULSTEIN vessels with the X-BOW

hull
line design have been delivered or are under construction world-
wide. The frst X-BOW

designs were for AHTS and platform supply
vessels, but it has later been introduced on construction, rescue,
and seismic vessels, as well as into the heavy ofshore and short-sea
shipping segments.
Seismic vessel Oceanic Vega delivered in 2010 is one of the over 20
vessels with the X-BOW

hull line design already in operation.

The anchor handling tug supply vessel Bourbon Orca was delivered in
2006 and received numerous awards for engineering and innovation.
Crew feedback has been very positive, including on the X-BOW

vessels ability to maintain higher speed in rough sea conditions and thereby
increasing operational time, and on the softer movements and the absence of slamming, which provide increased comfort and a safer work
environment for the crew.
The X-BOW

is a backward-sloping bow that starts at the
extreme front of the vessel. This allows for the sharpest possible
bow shape.
Result: A continuous and sharp bow shape, which smoothly
divides both waves and calm water. Increased volume above and
up front allows the vessel to efciently respond to large waves.
A conventional bow has a forward-sloping bow shape that starts
at the extreme front of the vessel and drops down and back. The
actual start of the bow at the waterline is moved back, and the bow
shape at the start of the waterline is less sharp.
Result: A bow that pushes the waves down and forward - this
absorption of energy slows the vessel.
The photos above show comparison testing of an ofshore vessel with X-BOW

hull line design and an equivalent ofshore vessel with a
conventional bow. The wave height is 2.8 metres, with a wave period of 10.5 seconds and a speed of 15 knots.
SPEED LOSS IN WAVES
The table below shows the attainable speed and the speed loss
in waves for a container vessel with the X-BOW

hull line design

compared to an equivalent vessel with a conventional bow. The
performed tests indicate that the X-BOW

hull line design ofers a
signifcant speed advantage in sea states most probable on a North
Atlantic trade route, where waves are expected to be above 2.5
metres 74% of the time. The X-BOW

has an average improvement in

speed loss of 19% in the 2.5-10.0 metre wave height range.

The photo above left shows the X-BOW

vessel. With a sharp hull
shape, there is no spray and there is a soft entry into the waves. As
the waves are parted efciently, wave energy transfer is minimised.
This means that speed losses are reduced.
FUEL CONSUMPTION
An independent maritime institution has performed a comparison
study between a short sea container vessel with X-BOW

hull
line design and an equivalent container vessel with a conventional
bow under expected service conditions. With a design speed of
18 knots, the diference in fuel consumption is shown in the chart
below. Results show 7-16% fuel reduction, depending on ship
speed and sea state.

The photo above right shows the vessel with a conventional bow. With
a blunt hull shape, there is spray generation, high bow impact and
slamming. The waves are pushed forward and wave energy is moved
against the hull. This makes for greater speed losses.
X-BOW

- CONCEPT COMPARISON
SPIRIT OF INNOVATION CONTACTS
ULSTEIN DESIGN &
SOLUTIONS AS
P. O. Box 278
NO-6067 Ulsteinvik
Norway
Tel.: +47 7000 8000
ULSTEIN ofers a broad range of ship designs
for demanding operations. We design with a
focus on the environment, cost-efciency,
reliability and total life-cycle cost. We ofer
ship design packages to the international
market with an emphasis on ofshore support,
heavy ofshore, and shortsea vessels. Vessels
designed by ULSTEIN are built at shipyards
world-wide.
WWW.ULSTEINGROUP.COM
The X-BOW

hull line design is patented in Norway (reg. no. 324744), Russia (reg. no. 2374120), Singapore (reg. no. 135279 (WO/2006/096066)),
Ukraine (reg. no. 95070), USA (reg. no. 7,658,159) and Vietnam (reg. no. 8437). Patent is pending in Brazil, China, Europe (EPA), Hong Kong and India.
TURNING VISIONS INTO REALITY
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ULSTEIN SEA OF
SOLUTIONS B.V.
Churchillsingel 432-446
3137 XB Vlaardingen
Netherlands
Tel.: +31 10 475 00 11
ULSTEIN ES-CAD
MHENDISLIK DENIZCILIK
SAN. VE TIC. AS
Zmrtevler Mah.
Hanimeli Cad. 2/1
Maltepe 34852 Istanbul
Turkey
Tel.: +902 16 458 7100
ULSTEIN DESIGN COMPANIES
ULSTEIN DESIGN & SOLUTIONS
Ulstein Design & Solutions in Ulsteinvik, Norway, focuses on
product development and ofers ship designs, engineering
services and ship equipment packages to the international
market, with an emphasis on the ofshore support segment
(platform supply, anchor handling tug supply, seismic research,
and construction vessels).
ULSTEIN SEA OF SOLUTIONS
Ulstein Sea of Solutions in Vlaardingen, the Netherlands,
specialises in the design of heavy ofshore vessels, including
pipelay vessels, drillships, heavy lift vessels and ofshore
construction vessels. In addition, the company designs ships and
equipment for the ofshore wind market. The company develops
projects for operators, contractors and shipowners.
ULSTEIN ES-CAD
Ulstein Es-Cad in Istanbul, Turkey, develops designs for shortsea
vessels, including ro-ro, container, dry cargo, and liquid carriers.