Lürssen GOOD VIBES

Lürssen GOOD VIBES

German shipyard is busier than ever as it prepares to deliver the 142m Opus to her delighted owner and splash a new 55m by summer 2021.

Peter Lürssen is also engaging with owners in an online talk show that reveals (almost) all the secrets behind one of the world’s most famous yards

by Désirée Sormani - ph. courtesy of Lürssen

L

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ife is busier than ever at Lürssen. One of the world’s le-

and exteriors by Bannenberg & Rowell and the 140m Scheherazade,

ading builders of luxury megayachts of between 55m

with interiors by Zuretti Interior Design. By the end of this year, the

and 180m, the shipyard’s deep roots in Northern Ger-

142m Opus designed by Italian design studio Nuvolari Lenard will

many date all the way back to 1875. Four generations

also leave the yard.

on from its foundation, it is the only such business to remain in family

More significantly for the long term, however, the Bannenberg &

hands - Peter Lürssen has been at the helm since 1987.

Rowell-penned 55m Project 13800 will be handed over to her owner

The secret of its enduring success? Lürssen epitomises confidence

in summer 2021 and marks Lürssen’s first step in re-establishing the

and security for owners as every single one of its yacht is bespoke.

brand as a serious contender in that size bracket. The initial concept

“Owners expect us to live up to our reputation and deliver them the

was inspired by the yard’s 1973 classic beauty Carinthia IV, coinci-

yacht they have come to expect”, says Michael Breman, Sales Direc-

dentally designed by the late, great Jon Bannenberg. However, the

tor. “Every project has its own challenges, big and small, and you

design has been given a definite twist and a clever mix of new design

need to master them all - always”.

features. Both colour and texture will be used with great boldness

The German yard was also one of the fastest to respond to the pan-

throughout and the interior furnishings will be museum quality.

demic. “In addition to the various standard hygiene measures, we

One of the most unusual and exclusive amenities will be a stunning

also introduced shift working in production, zoning areas to keep

counter current pool with a raisable bottom for a more relaxing Jacuz-

unnecessary contact to a minimum, and also work-from-home op-

zi experience. “Obviously, there is a big difference whether you build

portunities for office functions,” continues Breman. “These measures

a 55m or a 100m yacht. You simply have to think differently”, says

are in line with current recommendations from both the Robert Koch

Breman. So does size matter? And, if so, how? Those questions and

Institute and the German health authorities. We can also adjust our

more were answered at the end of September in the first episode of

operating procedures at short notice if necessary.

the online Lürssen Live! talk show, moderated by superyacht broker

Throughout the ongoing situation, we have continued to operate all

and YouTube star, David Seal, and SuperYacht Times owner Merijn

our North German shipyards”.

de Waard. Happily, that tantalising behind-the-scenes introduction

Although renowned for launching some of the world’s largest yachts,

to the 55m project is still available at www.lurssen.com.

Lürssen is currently actively targeting projects in the 55m to 75m

Stay tuned for the second episode coming at the start of 2021.

range. Its latest deliveries include the 78m Avantage, with interiors

We can’t wait!

www.lurssen.com

Opening and facing pages the renderings of Project 13800 (and below under construction), scheduled for delivery next summer. These images, some moments from the first episode of the Lürssen Live! online talk show featuring Peter Lürssen.

Moderated by journalists David Seal and Merijn de Waard, it offered an exclusive insight and behind-the-scenes look at the current 55m project and proved such a success that Lürssen plans to hold it three times a year from now on

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5 questions to

Michael Breman

Sales Director at Lürssen

What is the market after the restarting? For us there was no “restart” as we continued our work throughout.

But the market has changed somewhat. Only very few clients are taking a wider view but unfortunately they are still hesitant to take decisions.

Have taken on any new clients lately? How would you describe the typical Lürssen owner? We have been very lucky this year and we have been able to secure a few contracts for new projects (mainly interested in the 60m to 90m size bracket). Lürssen owners have one thing in common: they all want a truly bespoke yacht – regardless of size. Another commonality is that they prefer to go for a well-positioned brand, and a company with a long heritage, which is still in family hands. This gives them the secure feeling that they are investing in a safe, reliable product.

during her sea trials.

Designed by Italian studio Nuvolari Lenard, she will boast accommodations for

Why did you create the Lürssen Live! and what kind of feedback did you have after? Lürssen Live!

36 guests in 20 staterooms.

cannot replace a boat show but the idea was born when it wasn’t possible to hold boat shows. We thought

Opus is the latest stunning

about how we could communicate certain topics to a group of people we would normally meet at boat shows,

creation from Lürssen,

like clients, brokers, designers, captains, owners’ reps, suppliers and the media. The feedback was extremely

which is not only one of the

positive which confirmed our idea of continuing the talk show about three times a year or every time we have

world’s most prestigious

something interesting or important to communicate. The people that watched live were very happy with the

shipyards but also the

idea of being able to ask Peter Lürssen questions. We will definitely continue with Lürssen Live!

only one to have remained

You will be delivering Project 13800 in 2021. What has been the most challenging part of the build so

in family hands since its

far? Every centimetre of the interior and exterior space usage has to be presented and agreed with the owners,

foundation in 1875

and this has led to many fruitful discussions, which will ultimately result in a very cleverly efficient design.

Attention to detail also went into the development of the engine room and the arrangement of all the technical spaces. Project 13800 is a truly bespoke-engineered yacht.

Could you give us a sneak preview of one or two of the standout features aboard Opus? As you will appreciate, it is difficult for us to speak about particulars on most of our projects. One thing is clear though: Opus will make an impact wherever she goes!

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Above, the 142m Opus