Commercial shipyard Ulstein Verft is to branch out into the superyacht world with the construction of a new 88.5 metre Espen ?ino-designed explorer yacht.

The Norwegian yard is yet to reveal any official design renderings, but it did confirm that the Ulstein explorer yacht will be based on its proven X-Bow platform (pictured below).

Kristian S?tre, managing director of Ulstein Group, said: ?The customer wants the characteristic X-Bow from Ulstein and together with Espen ?ino, responsible for the exterior design and GA-plan, we have developed a solid yacht project.?

The yard added that planning and engineering work has begun and a beam of 16.3 metres has been agreed. The as-yet unnamed 88.5 metre yacht will become one of the world?s largest explorer yachts when delivered in 2018.

Although Ulstein was keen to point out that its recently released renderings are not representative of the contracted yacht, it does give us a few clues at to what the finished yacht will look like, with extensive exterior relaxation spaces and a circular superyacht spa pool on the aft deck. The layout and engine installation is yet to be revealed, but it is safe to assume that this vessel will have an impressive cruising range.

?ino will be bringing his extensive experience from designing many of the world?s largest explorer yachts, including Octopus, Northern Star and Skat for German yard L?rssen as well as the recently launched Abeking & Rasmussen globetrotter Cloudbreak.

This is the first superyacht project for Ulstein Verft, which has been building offshore support vessels and commercial craft in Norway for the past 99 years. Other Norwegian commercial yards to recently make the crossover into the superyacht realm include Vard, which is building the 81.7 metre Kilkea, and Kleven, whose K370 is due to be delivered in early 2017.