We may have forgotten by now, in 2016, that the very first Ulstein XBow vessel was the Bourbon Orca. which entered service in 2006 with considerable fanfare. As well as the unusual bow (as it was then) it also featured a very unusual stern which could be tilted downwards hydraulically to allow anchors to slide onto it. The it could be levelled and hey presto the anchor was on the deck. It may also have been the first ship to feature cranes running on rails down the sides, therefore altering the towing capability of the ship. Back in the old days the tow wire could ride round the sides of the ships during turns, but now it would be prevented from doing so. The assumption made by the designers is that the thrusters could turn the ship anyway. Apparently this is not always true.

TYPE: AX 104		NAME: BOURBON ORCA		PHOTO: VIC GIBSON
GENERAL		PROPULSION		EQUIPMENT
Length OA	86.2 m	Engines	4 x 2880 kW 2 x 1665 kW	Workdrum pull	400t
Breadth	18.5 m	BHP	20195	Capacity 1	5000mx76mm
DWT	3500 mt	kW	14850	Capacity 2
Deck area	540 m2	For'd Thruster	1 x 1200 kW	Towdrum pull	400t
Fuel	1480 mt	Az Thruster	1 x 1800 kW	Capacity 1	2500mx76mm
Pot water	505 m3	Aziprops	2 x 5000 kW	Capacity 2	2500mx76mm
Mud	530 m3	Bollard pull	180t	Sharks Jaw	2 x 500t swl
Brine	558 m3	DP	DPII	Cranes	Several
Dry bulk	254 m3	Joystick		Tank cleaning	None
Year built	2006	Shipyard	Ulstein Verft	Berths	34
Previous names
Comments	This is is possibly the ship of the decade. As well as the very unusual bow shape - see "News and Views" for more. The area of the stern roller turns into a ramp. When the anchor is pulled up onto the ramp it is hydraulically levelled so that the anchor is magically on the deck.  The ship is also diesel electric, and obviously only part of the total power available can be deployed to the main propulsion which is described as "two azimuthing thrusters".