Ulstein reports a growing demand for subsea vessels that can operate in challenging environments and perform complex tasks, and offer flexibility, efficiency and reliability in installing, maintaining, or decommissioning offshore wind farms or oil and gas platforms.
These positive trends have led Ulstein to develop the SX232 subsea vessel that is said to combine innovation, versatility, and emission reduction. It serves the offshore wind market for floating and fixed installations as for offshore oil and gas.
The Ulstein SX232 is based on three core principles:
- an optimised hull design based on the Ulstein Twin X-Stern,
- a smart power and propulsion system developed to minimise energy consumption during DP operations and
- an integrated energy recovery system utilising all the waste heat in the machinery systems (cooling water and exhaust).
These features will enable the Ulstein SX232 to reduce emissions and operational costs while enhancing performance, safety, and comfort. 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 ROV hangars. A moonpool is positioned at the rear of the accommodation block, complemented by a flat deck spanning over 2,000 m², allowing multiple operational setups to suit diverse tasks. The basic platform has been configured with a 250t offshore crane; however, the platform can support a larger crane of 400t. With the upgraded crane capacity, the vessel could support the installation of suction anchors, which are common for floating offshore energy.
An alternative use of the Ulstein SX232 platform is for inter-array cable laying operations.
The SX232 joins Ulstein’s portfolio of subsea vessels, and with the Ulstein SX239, it features the Ulstein Twin X-Stern, designed for walk-to-work operations in the offshore energy market. 10 vessels are currently being implemented with this concept, the first of which will enter operations in 2024.
Image: Ulstein SX232 in J-Lay configuration (source: Ulstein Design & Solutions)
