Ulstein Verft has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with an undisclosed owner for the construction of one or more expedition cruise vessels of the design type ULSTEIN CX104.
These vessels will become the most unique expedition vessels in the market, providing unparalleled guest experiences with their excellent exploration facilities, and polar capability beyond anything we have seen before, while minimizing environmental impact and optimizing operational cost.
“The past few years we have worked strategically to target the exploration cruise market. This LOI proves that we are now confirming our position in this market. We are pleased to have been chosen as partner in this exciting project and we now look forward to turning this project into reality,” states CEO Gunvor Ulstein at Ulstein Group.
The vessels will be designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions to incorporate the distinctive X-BOW design, and will be approx. 120 metres long and 20 metres wide. There has been great focus on creating a safe and comfortable platform as well as implementing environmental friendly and sustainable solutions. In addition, the design has emphasized on giving passengers the best possible viewing experiences while sailing through some of the most spectacular areas of our planet. The vessels will surpass the newest regulatory demands for taking passengers into Arctic and Antarctic waters, and are planned for delivery in 2019 and 2020.
The signing of the LOI represents a significant step to realize these future expedition vessels to the market.
"The cooperation and team work have been very good and we are looking forward to realizing this project together with all parts involved. Our 100 years of tradition and experience in building and innovate ships will benefit our customer", says managing director Kristian Sætre in Ulstein Verft.
Source: Ulstein