Page 50: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Jan/Feb 2026)

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ENGINEERING OSV DESIGN

Photo credit: Tony Hall

A DEFINING MOMENT IN

NAVAL ARCHITECTURE:

The first model of the UL-

STEIN AX104, featuring the revolutionary X-BOW® hull, undergoes rigorous testing at the Marintek basin in

Trondheim in 2005. The tri- als proved that the inverted bow eliminated slamming and kept the bridge deck dry even in extreme sea states.

SURPRISE IN THE TANK FROM INVENTION TO INNOVATION

By 2005, the X-BOW® concept was ready for its frst "An invention only becomes an innovation when it suc- trial in the model tank at Marintek (now SINTEF Ocean) ceeds commercially," Ulstein emphasized. "The X-BOW in Trondheim. At the time, scepticism from industry ex- didn't spring from a fnished problem defnition, but from perts was palpable. pure curiosity and a willingness to take detours. And then, “The researchers had never seen anything like it,” re- you need a customer who dares." called Tonje Øyehaug Ruud, Ulstein Group’s Head of That customer was Bourbon Offshore Norway. "They were

Communications. “ brave," Ulstein added. "They challenged us based on some

The researchers in Trondheim took precautions be- sketches they had seen in our customer magazine. Their pri- fore starting the machinery. "They mounted a Styrofoam mary motivation was the desire to differentiate themselves." plough on top of the model and wrapped the measuring In 2006, the frst X-BOW vessel, Bourbon Orca, was equipment in plastic," Ruud remembered. “At the time, launched from the shipyard in Ulsteinvik, Norway. What they had little faith in the concept.” skeptics feared would be a technical failure became a prize-

When the tests were completed, however, the warn- winning triumph. The design went on to earn "Ship of the ings proved baseless. While researchers had expected Year" honors in both Norway and abroad in 2006, as well high waves to climb the hull and impact the bridge as the prestigious "Engineering Feat of the Year" award. deck, the model remained stable and buoyant. The slen- While the awards provided confdence, the true valida- der bow allowed the hull to move gently through the tion came from those working at sea. The ship’s steward waves without slamming, and the water was displaced reported back enthusiastically: "I no longer have to call the along the side instead of being thrown upward and out- bridge to ask them to slow down when I'm making dinner; ward. In the end, there was not a single drop of water on the pots stay on the stove!" the protected equipment. Another striking proof of the hull's superiority surfaced 50 OFFSHORE ENGINEER OEDIGITAL.COM