Ulstein double-X naming ceremony

The first two platform supply vessels with the ULSTEIN X-bow design will be named at Ulstein Verft. The two ULSTEIN PX105 vessels were ordered by Bourbon Offshore Norway and are on long-term charter ontracts with BP Norway. The vessels will primarily supply the oil fields operated by BP in the Norwegian part of the North Sea, and will be based in Sola harbour, Tananger, Norway.

Yard number 275 Bourbon Mistral is starting on a five year contract with BP Norway shortly after the naming ceremony while her sister vessel, yard number 276 Bourbon Monsoon, is contracted for delivery in February 2007. She will start on a 10 year contract for BP Norway.

Shipowner Bourbon Offshore Norway was first to order a vessel with the ULSTEIN X-bow, the anchor handler Bourbon Orca. The company is also the first to receive PSVs with this innovative bow design. “Having had Bourbon Orca working for a period of time, we clearly see that the bow makes her superior compared to other anchor handling vessels,” says Bourbon Offshore Norway“s managing director Trond Myklebust. “We have proven that a ship with an X-bow runs smoother and can maintain higher speeds over time,” he says. “That means these vessels can reach their destinations in less time, and are safer and more comfortable for the crew to operate. We believe there is even more to be gained from a PSV with this bow, as these types of vessels are continuously in traffic. They work in a shuttle system between shore and platforms and have to be reliable, especially in extreme weather.”