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Sustainability:
a multilevel approach

To love yachts is to love the sea
To love the sea is to respect the environment

The Lürssen family and company are deeply aware of the need to protect not only the world’s oceans and coastlines, but the entire global ecology and climate. In cooperation with our clients, we consistently apply our innovative resources to reduce the environmental impact of our yachts. For example, recent vessels feature a new compact silencer with integrated SCR filter and additional soot filter to lower NOx, soot and noise emissions below current regulatory limits. In addition, Lürssen is the first yacht-builder to utilize waste engine heat to operate a vessel’s onboard desalination system for drinking water. We continue to invest substantially in research of energy technologies that promise a major step forward in sustainability, such as fuel cells and hybrid concepts. As one of the anchor partners in the Water Revolution Foundation, our mission is to drive sustainability in the superyacht industry through collaboration and innovation. But our interest in protecting the environment goes beyond the vessels we build: Lürssen is a major contributor to the marine biodiversity conservation organization Blue Marine Foundation.

A SUSTAINED COMMITMENT
OUR FAMILY TRADITION OF PURSUING SUSTAINABILITY

1980
1985
1990
1993

First-ever yacht with particulate filter: Ronin

RONIN (formerly IZANAMI) is the first yacht equipped with a diesel particulate filter, enabling reduced emissions.

1995
1997

Limitless utilises waste heat for desalination – another first

LIMITLESS utilises the excess heat from her diesel generators for desalination, providing on-board freshwater.

Hybrid propulsion implemented for the first time in Limitless

The 96-metre LIMITLESS is the first yacht to feature an energy-efficient hybrid propulsion system, comprising a combined diesel-mechanical and electric drive (PTI/PTO).

2000
2002

For the first time, a yacht is built with a common-rail main diesel engine

The 70-metre SKAT, built in 2002, is the first yacht to use a common-rail engine as the main engine. This enables a reduction of emissions and fuel consumption to a minimum.

2004

The large windows of RISING SUN are covered with special heat-insulting foils.

This exceptional material lowers the energy required for air conditioning significantly, reducing emissions substantially. RISING SUN has also been equipped with customised particulate filters to efficiently extract soot from exhaust fumes.

2005

Lürssen makes a commitment to fuel-cell technology

Lürssen becomes involved in research projects aimed at using fuel cells as an on-board energy source. Fuel cell technology powered by methanol is a big step towards a zero pollution Lürssen Yacht.

2008

One of the world’s largest yachts now uses waste-heat recovery

One of the largest yachts in the world, 155-metre AL SAID is equipped with an extensive waste-heat recovery system for freshwater production through desalination.

Lürssen starts a wood modification project to develop alternatives to teak.

Various modification processes have been studied and combined in order to achieve technical and visual properties comparable to those of teak.

2009

The fuel-cell research project Pa-X-ell is launched with Lürssen on board

Lürssen becomes a partner in the national research project Pa-X-ell, aimed at development and testing of marine hybrid fuel-cell systems utilising hydrogen reformed from methanol.

ARKLEY features a sophisticated wastewater treatment system based on membrane technology.

The treated water is close to drinking-water quality. The solution becomes a standard installation on Lürssen yachts.

2010
2012

A ballast water treatment system is integrated for the first time

TOPAZ is the first yacht to feature a ballast water treatment system.

2015

An ambitious R&D project yields an exhaust-gas treatment for NOx emissions

The R&D project KeSS leads to the development of a compact exhaust system including a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, significantly minimizing NOx emissions.

2016

DILBAR is equipped with air-injection systems for lower emissions and greater efficiency

The air-injection solutions at the transverse thruster and beneath the hull result in reduced noise emissions, lower vibration and greater fuel efficiency.

2019

Battery installations on two vessels enable peak-load shaving and energy storage

MADSUMMER and the refitted DRAGONFLY feature large integrated batteries to store electrical energy and absorb short-term load peaks, avoiding the need to start a second generator.

2020
2022

The Innovation Lab sees the first-ever feasible fuel-cell solution for yachts

The Innovation Lab yields the first maritime PEM fuel-cell system equipped with an integrated methanol reformer and fully integrated into the yacht environment.

We don’t just want to use the latest technology on board, we want to advance the status quo.

Peter Lürssen

ELEGANT, DURABLE, SUSTAINABLE: TESUMO
MEET OUR TEAK ALTERNATIVE FOR SHIPDECKS

For decades, naval architects, shipbuilders and yacht owners have been seeking an alternative to teak for shipdecks. As attractive as the beauty, durability and functional properties of teak are, its cultivation and harvesting raises environmental issues. In 2008 Lürssen responded to this dilemma, launching a project to develop an equally attractive alternative in collaboration with the University of Göttingen and the Bavarian shipdeck specialist Wolz.

The result: Tesumo, a sustainably farmed and modified wood with qualities that match and even surpass teak in marine applications.

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GREEN HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS: ZERO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
THE PATH TO EMISSION-FREE YACHTING

Probably the most groundbreaking achievement is our progress in using fuel cell technology. Lürssen is building its first yacht with fuel cell technology for a pioneering and technology driven client. The fuel cell – driven by hydrogen which is continuously reformed from methanol – is flanking the conventional generators and is a big step to an emission free Lürssen yacht.

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INNOVATION - KEY TO SUSTAINABILITY

Lürssen has always understood yacht-building as an industry with a high demand for new technologies. This is one of the reasons why Lürssen continuously strives to stay at the forefront, as the founders and other early movers always did.

"My great grandfather built the world’s first motorboat in 1886. My dream is to be the first to build a motor yacht without a combustion engine." - Peter Lürssen

DRIVING SUSTAINABILITY TOGETHER
ONLY INDUSTRY-WIDE CO-INNOVATION CAN LEAD TO MEANINGFUL SUSTAINABILITY

It takes a concerted effort to address a global challenge. Accordingly, Lürssen works with leading institutions and organizations to develop sustainable solutions for yachts and other vessels. We also partner with major marine environmental initiatives. Lürssen is an Anchor Partner of Water Revolution Foundation and a Major Partner of Blue Marine Foundation.

The Water Revolution Foundation is a great platform to promote and advance a new culture of environmental awareness within our industry. We also carry out joint activities to reduce environmental pollution in addition to the individual measures that each company already undertakes.

Peter Lürssen

The Water Revolution Foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to driving and accelerating sustainability in the superyacht industry. With the urgency to reduce the ecological footprint of yachting, Lürssen is pleased to be one of the anchor partners in this challenge. Water Revolution Foundation’s activities revolve around three areas of focus:

  • Promoting new technology and empowering innovation
  • Proactively creating the industry’s own sustainability agenda, going beyond legislative requirements
  • Investing in ocean conservation
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LÜRSSEN IS A MAJOR PARTNER OF

Lürssen is a major partner of the Blue Marine Foundation, an organization dedicated to restoring healthy oceans by supporting marine biodiversity. The Foundation had impressive initial successes and has ambitious – but reachable – targets for the coming years.

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You can contribute too

Lürssen encourages the yachting community to join us in supporting the Blue Marine Foundation.

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