What is it like inside the shipyards of Germany's iconic yacht building giant, Lürssen? A rare peek at what is usually reserved for clients of this respected group recently found us touring four of the eight Lürssen facilities. Turning out extraordinary megayachts like the world's longest 180-meter Azzam and the world's largest nearly 16k GT Dilbar, all while carefully attending to the build and refit of yachts down to 60 meters, Lürssen has deep knowledge of the yachting industry embracing a wide range of size and purpose.
We flew to Hamburg with our notebooks ready and eyes anxious to take in all that earned Lürssen Yachts its well-deserved reputation. Checking into our hotel, we were surrounded by creativity, energy, markets, and interesting pubs and clubs, but were keen to tour the yards before exploring the city of Hamburg.
Surprised and delighted by the new build area at Rendsburg, we learned that the four sheds, two floating docks, 167,881 square meters, and a 250-meter pier are dedicated to new builds from 60 to 100 meters. We watched as workers meticulously fitted one of the new 104m yachts in build with luxurious interior details.
In an acquisition that purposefully expanded capabilities, Lürssen purchased the Blohm + Voss shipyard in 2016 gaining several advantages in the process. Located in Hamburg, the yard is quite busy. Fully dedicated to refits and repairs of yachts of all sizes, the yard is especially helpful in handling large yachts. The 300-meter by 60-meter dry dock, the largest in Europe, was created for the German battleship Bismarck. The dry dock, six floating docks, and 2,100-meter pier are part of the yard's history of outstanding, solution-oriented craftsmanship.
The Bremen facilities are ground zero for creativity, innovation, and luxury. As Lürssen's main shipyard, advanced construction and technology bring concepts to life here, turning out some of the world's most unique and beautiful big yachts. Using a system of robotics, large warehouses for storage, and massive construction sheds, Lürssen is able to build the yachts in a series of "blocks," connecting the pieces to create yachts accommodating any length a client wishes.
While here, we were privileged to see the stunning Project Jupiter, recently launched as Al Lusail, returning to the yard for annual inspection. We also saw the 136m project SHU receiving the final touches prior to delivery after completing successful sea trials.
In Bremen, the shipyard has three locations across the river. Here is where the owners team has its own private office tucked in next to Lurssen engineers working on the project. The proximity guarantees smooth and timely communication throughout the building process, quickly sharing information and transferring messages to avoid any confusion or address any misunderstanding.
The engineers and the owner’s team can frequently be seen walking between the three facilities in synchronized communication, always within walking distance of the boat. Engaging over 700 German engineers, Lürssen has their pick of aspiring talent through a well-regarded local apprenticeship program.
Just across the river, another arm of the Bremen facility sees the most rewarding part of the process, where all the parts come together. Giant steel blocks are welded into hulls, and superstructures are attached. Most are constructed in three large pieces that are brought here to become one.
It is here that we saw a new Lürssen project well over 130 meters, perhaps even 150, in the dry dock. We also spotted another 136-meter yacht, Project SHU, designed by the notable naval architect and yacht designer Espen Øino. The stunning yacht had returned to the yard after completing sea trials. In all, we were able to view four yachts under construction, each one exceeding 100 meters in length.
Lürssen has eight shipyards dotting the German map, each specializing in specific parts of the yacht building process. With all the engineering done in-house, as well as the steel and aluminum construction, steps are streamlined to optimize the build calendar while dovetailing with contractors for the interior design details. The result is an extraordinary portfolio of yachts built to peerless standards of quality, delivering beautiful vessels that last long into the future.
