524-Foot-Long Lürssen Superyacht Debuts

Project BLUE is one of the largest superyachts in the world.

As demand for yachts of all sizes continues to surge, and as yacht designers and builders continue to push the envelope of what’s possible, watching the massive, 524-foot-long Project BLUE head out on her maiden voyage from the Lürssen shipyard in Germany proves that some superyacht owners will always want something “bigger.” In fact, BLUE is now one of the largest superyachts in the world.

BLUE also shows just how special the few superyacht shipyards and yacht design firms are that can design and build a complex technical marvel that’s bigger than many Navy ships. That said, BLUE is also an oceangoing work of art that’s employed tens of thousands of skilled artists, craftsmen, welders, and designers. And it was custom-built to suit its new owner perfectly.

As is the case with almost every new build that’s launched these days, efficiency and the desire to be as environmentally friendly as possible—in addition to sheer beauty and luxury—were critical to the design. In this case, BLUE is equipped with a Diesel-Electric Hybrid Propulsion Concept that was developed by Lürssen engineers. The system consists of two diesel engines that drive two controllable pitch propellers through individual gearboxes. These gearboxes are equipped with PTI/PTO (Power Take In/Power Take Out) units that can be used for either electric propulsion at 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.

In order to generate less noise and vibration and reduce nitrogen oxide levels, BLUE is also equipped with a state-of-the-art exhaust after-treatment system. Even the wastewater treatment plant is equipped with new membrane technology that allows the treated wastewater to be safely disposed of in ‘drinking water quality’.

“To execute such a comprehensive project, an excellent team is necessary,” says Managing Partner Peter Lürssen. In this case, the team consisted of the owner’s technical project management team, the design team from Terence Disdale, who are responsible for the contemporary exterior and the traditional fresh interior design, and, of course, Lürssen’s own project team.

“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.”

This project also shows that almost anything is possible when it comes to designing and building a custom yacht. Check her out in action below: