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Innovations

THE LÜRSSEN THINK TANK

YOU CAN’T PLAN EUREKA MOMENTS. BUT YOU CAN SET THE STAGE FOR THEM.

INNOVATION WITH A PIONEERING MINDSET

Since its earliest beginnings, Lürssen has always been a pioneering shipbuilding company. From systematically optimising hull design to building the world’s first motorboat and on to today’s advancements in efficiency and sustainability – innovation is embedded in the Lürssen DNA. Accordingly, we maintain a think tank of the most forward-looking engineers and naval architects. Areas in which we have made the most progress in recent years include energy-efficient yacht design, exhaust aftertreatment and – currently – the introduction of the world’s first motor yacht powered by green hydrogen fuel cells. This last innovation, which uses bio-base methanol to produce hydrogen on board, has the potential to completely revolutionise yachting, harmonising luxury and performance with love and respect for the wellbeing of the oceans and our climate.

LÜRSSEN INNOVATIONS OVER THE YEARS.
A HISTORY OF MAKING HISTORY

1880
1886

Lürssen builds the world’s first motorboat

REMS has a Daimler engine with a cylinder capacity of 0.462 litres and a weight of 60 kilograms, producing an output of 1.5 hp.

1890
1900
1907

Lürssen designs and builds the world’s first half-glider speedboat

Instead of planing hulls, Otto Lürßen relies on a rounded hull and powerful engines. At high speeds, these hulls partially emerge from the water.

1910
1913

Lürssen develops and builds the world’s first remote-controlled boat

The HAVEL is 13 metres long and is remotely steered with the aid of a wire.

1920
1928

Lürssen is the first to use a Voith Schneider propeller

Lürssen builds its first experimental boat with a Voith Schneider propeller.

1930
1938

Lürssen speedboat sets world record

Lürssen is the first to reach a speed of of 68.2 km/h, or around 37 knots, with a speedboat. Gert Lürßen himself sets the record on the Weser River.

1955
1975
1983

Lürssen builds the world’s fastest motor yacht

SHERGAR is powered by two MTU diesel engines and two Allison gas turbines with an overall output of 16,100 hp, which take her to speeds of up to 45 knots.

1990
1993
1994

Lürssen develops the world’s first common mounting of drive and energy systems

Main engines, gearbox and generators are mounted on a large common frame, thereby achieving extremely low noise and vibration levels.

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

Lürssen pioneers research into underwater exhaust systems for yachts

The findings form the basis for optimum positioning of the exhaust system to minimise backpressure, noise and emissions.

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 builds the world’s first yacht with a pod drive

Lürssen builds the 90-metres ICE with a pod drive. The benefits: extremely high level of maneouverability, low noise level, reduced fuel consumption.

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.

2006

Lürssen delivers the world’s largest private sailing yacht

EOS has an overall length of 93 metres.To reduce noise levels in the interior when running the engine, she also incorporates the first active engine mounting system in a 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.

2013

AZZAM world’s longest private yacht

Lürssen delivers Azzam the longest yacht in the world. She not only sets a record with regard to her length of 180 metres and a speed of more than 30 knots – but also her building time of less than three years is record-breaking.

2015

DILBAR world’s biggest private yacht by GT

Lürssen delivers the 156-metres yacht Dilbar – the biggest motor yacht in the world by gross tonnage. Without a doubt Dilbar is one of the most complex and challenging yachts that has ever been built, both in terms of dimension and technology. With a gross tonnage of 15,917 t, Dilbar provides spaces in the interior which have never been seen on a yacht before. The impressive project was finished in an astonishing 52 months.

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

CC-SUMMER 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.

2030

GREEN HYDROGEN YACHTS

THE FUTURE OF YACHTING: ZERO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Awareness of the need for clean energy is growing. But in many industries, companies struggle to find mature and effective technological solutions or simply lack the vision to take decisive action. Others are constrained by the demand to deliver shareholder value. At Lürssen, we’re convinced that the superyacht industry represents a unique opportunity to make meaningful advances, which can then be applied elsewhere.

Visionary owners with a fascination for innovation and a passion for the sea are predestined to support the drive for cutting-edge clean energies. In addition, as family-owned and operated yacht-builder, Lürssen has the freedom to pursue bold visions. In a strategic partnership with maritime fuel cell expert Freudenberg, we are in the process of introducing fuel-cell powered ships.

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BIO-BASED METHANOL FOR FUEL CELLS

PROJECT PAXELL: COLLABORATING TO DRIVE INNOVATION

As of 2009, Lürssen has partnered with a national research project termed Pa-X-ell. Further partners include Besecke, Carnival Maritime, DLR, DNV, EPEA, Freudenberg and Meyer Werft. The collaboration partners have developed and tested a hybrid energy system with a new generation of PEM fuel cells for yachts and other passenger vessels. The pilot project uses methanol stored in tanks to produce hydrogen, which in turn feeds fuel cells that power engines and electric motors, resulting in zero emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, soot and CO2 (greenhouse gasses). When “green” bio-based methanol is used, the entire process becomes greenhouse gas-free. Lürssen is working to advance sustainable yachting. Take a virtual tour of the Innovation Lab and the Pa-X-ell project.

INNOVATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE: TESUMO

A TEAK ALTERNATIVE WITH SUPERIOR QUALITIES FOR SHIPDECKS

It takes innovative approaches to address sustainability issues. In 2008, Lürssen launched a project to develop an alternative to teak for shipdecks in collaboration with the University of Göttingen and the Bavarian shipdeck specialist Wolz. The result of the joint effort is Tesumo, a sustainably cultivated wood that undergoes an innovative modification process before use. Tesumo not only offers the beauty and warmth associated with teak, but actually surpasses the traditional wood of choice in many of its durability and functional properties.

EXHAUST AFTERTREATMENT SYSTEM

We now fit the exhaust aftertreatment system on all Lürssen yachts with keels laid after 1 January 2016. Meeting regulations on limiting nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions is a major challenge for the superyacht industry. Ships propelled by diesel engines can achieve these limits only with bulky selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems that take up space and add weight, in turn reducing energy efficiency. Lürssen set out to develop an innovative exhaust aftertreatment system that would significantly reduce NOx emissions while also reducing space, weight, noise and vibration. We launched the R&D and implementation process in 2015 with the partners HUG Engineering and Nießing Anlagenbau. The project received funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. Together, we developed the concept and successfully tested it within just two years.

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ENERGY-EFFICIENT YACHT DESIGN

Based on the concept that on-board comfort and pure joy of yachting are aligned with many different environmental benefits, Lürssen is committed to developing energy-saving technologies for fuel-efficient yachts that also operate at significantly lower levels of noise and vibration. Our naval architecture team achieves these goals with innovative hydrodynamics and propulsion systems. The experts use customized software, for example, in realistic simulations to optimize hull design, reducing resistance and providing smoother and more fuel-efficient operation. Further in-house innovations include a yacht-optimised air injection system, which creates an air cushion at the hull. This dampens noise emissions from the propeller travelling into the yacht, as well as from the engines travelling outside the yacht.

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BETTER DATA, BETTER ENERGY EFFICIENCY

INTERCONNECTING ENERGY MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING SYSTEMS

By merging energy-related data from on-board functions and systems, we systematically enhance the transparency and energy efficiency of our vessels. Operating, monitoring and analytical functions are interconnected across system boundaries. During yacht construction, the electrical design department at Lürssen gathers and analyses more than 10,000 operational data points, spanning basic alarm information to the voltage and current of each switchboard. To best utilise all these data, we have created an automated platform to intelligently and efficiently manage energy generation, distribution and consumption on board. It features an open-interface architecture incorporating the many individual systems unique to each project.

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SMART MANUFACTURE

APPLYING THE LATEST DIGITAL TECH TO TRADIONAL CUSTOM YACHT BUILDING

Digitalisation is revolutionising manufacturing, with the automotive industry leading the way. In luxury yacht construction, where tailored concepts and individual solutions are the hallmark of an outstanding shipyard, the transition to digitalised processes is not so simple. To overcome this barrier and apply digitalisation to custom-built yacht projects, Lürssen uses cutting-edge solutions like laser-marking to give each component of a vessel its own unique data matrix code. This links it to all relevant data. When scanned, the code enables our system to provide detailed information about where the piece belongs, when it needs to be installed and the quality checks required.

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BESPOKE YACHTS

INDIVIDUAL VISIONS CREATE INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGES

Each bespoke Lürssen yacht project is unique, yet they all share one characteristic: the No. 1 priority is to fulfil the owner’s vision. Accordingly, every build represents an individual set of challenges. For example, clients and designers have highly diverse concepts for on-board swimming pools, which are typically one of the most important features on a superyacht and have a significant impact on the guest experience. One project called for a 12-metre infinity pool positioned transversely across the main deck. This raised the challenge of minimising the wave effect caused by the vessel’s motion. The innovative engineering solution was to subdivide the water in the pool using retractable bulkheads that counteracted waves according to their intensity.

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INNOVATION MEETS SUSTAINABILITY: ALICE

A CONCEPT YACHT SHOWS WHAT INNOVATIVE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS CAN DO

Lürssen’s innovative drive for greater substantiality is exemplified in ALICE, a pilot project using green hydrogen fuel cells and other environmentally friendly technologies. On permanent display at the Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, the climate-neutral vessel is outfitted with Tesumo teak alternative decks. She also features park-like gardens, whose trees and vegetation create a pleasant climate and environment. On-board leisure facilities include a full-sized tennis court. Reflective glazing minimises the need for air conditioning in warm weather, while heat-recovery technology reduces overall energy consumption.

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