Lürssen’s Blue embarks on maiden voyage

After a successful second sea trial at the end of June, Lürssen’s latest superyacht left the shipyard in Bremen on 2 July and embarked on her maiden voyage. Blue is now heading to the Mediterranean where its new owners will enjoy their first season aboard.

The shipyard reports efficiency and the desire to be as environmentally friendly as possible as key drivers for the technology on board. Blue is equipped with a highly efficient diesel-electric hybrid propulsion concept developed by Lürssen’s own engineering specialists. The concept combines diesel propulsion technology with efficient modern electric propulsion systems. Blue’s system consists of two diesel engines that drive two controllable pitch propellers through individual gearboxes that are equipped with Power Take In (PTI) / Power Take Off (PTO) units that can be used for either electric propulsion (slow speeds) or for generating electrical energy to operate the vessel at higher speeds.

Blue is also equipped with an electric azimuth pod drive, which in electric mode can be used separately, or when the PTI units are engaged, with the two propeller shafts.

The superyacht also has a state-of-the-art exhaust after-treatment system which the boatbuilder says generates less noise and vibration, and reduced nitrogen oxide levels. Additionally, the wastewater treatment plant is equipped with new membrane technology that allows the treated wastewater to be safely disposed of in ‘drinking water quality’.

The company says that many years of planning, engineering, and building to the highest standards went into project Blue. The team consisted of the owner’s technical project management team, the design team from Terence Disdale who designed both the exterior and interior, and, of course, Lürssen’s own project team.

“To execute such a comprehensive project, an excellent team is necessary,” says managing partner, Peter Lürssen. “We are very proud of Blue as yet another statement of Lürssen’s ability and desire to build yachts that meet all of our exacting owners’ requirements, guided by our core focus of expert engineering, beautiful design and being a proud market leader in developing sustainable technologies.”