Lürssen’s Legacy: A Century and a Half of Innovation at Sea

This summer, Lürssen celebrates a remarkable milestone: a century and a half of shipbuilding mastery. From modest beginnings, the family-run business has grown into one of the world’s leading yacht builders, guided by core values of quality, innovation, and engineering precision.

Lürssen: For generations to come

In 1875 Friedrich Lürssen founded the company that would soon become a byword for craftsmanship. His exquisitely built rowboats and pioneering partnership with Gottlieb Daimler on the first motorboat set the tone for generations to come. 

'It is with great pride that I reflect on how Lürssen has evolved into the company it is today', says Peter Lürssen. 'This journey has not been without its challenges. There have been storms and successes. However, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all our employees – past and present – without whom we would not be here.'

Lürssen remains a true family business, not only in ownership but across generations of skilled craftsmen. The company is equally committed to the broader community, through engineering innovation, philanthropy such as the Blue Marine Foundation, and education initiatives like the Lürssen Foundation.

Changed maritime history

Friedrich Lürssen's early shipyard in Bremen-Aumund quickly became a hub for cutting-edge boats. When Daimler requested a vessel for his revolutionary engine, Lürssen responded with REMS – the world’s first motorboat. It was a six-metre masterpiece: beautifully finished and a technical first, fitted with a modified 1.5-horsepower Daimler engine. The boat launched to great success and changed maritime history.

The collaboration with Daimler led to increasingly advanced boats like the 19-metre Maria-Augusta, and Lürssen's innovation only accelerated. Highlights include hybrid propulsion, underwater exhaust, pod drive, and advanced wastewater system. The 147.5-metre 'Topaz' (now A+) was first to feature a ballast water treatment system.

Committed to sustainability, Lürssen introduced NOx-reduction exhaust systems in 2016, followed by Tesumo decking, and is now preparing 'Cosmos', a 114-metre yacht powered by methanol fuel cells. The system will be able to produce enough power to support the yacht at anchor for 15 days or cruise approximately 1000 nautical miles at slow speed. 'My dream is to build the first yacht without a combustion engine', says Peter Lürssen.

Engineering excellence by Lürssen

Though much of the 20th century was focused on naval and commercial vessels, a turning point came in 1988 with the creation of a dedicated yacht division. Since then, Lürssen has delivered 70 custom yachts with a combined length of over 6,500 metres. Today, 35 of the top 100 yachts are built by Lürssen. Signature builds include 'Azzam' (180.61 m), 'Dilbar' (156 m), and 'Octopus' (126.2 m).

'We don’t aim to build the biggest yachts, but the best yachts for each client', says Peter Lürssen. 'Clients choose us for our engineering excellence, our ability to think outside the box, and our determination to fulfil their wishes.'

The owner of the award-winning 122-metre Kismet confirmes: 'If you can conceive it, they can do it, no constraints. I love that. The shipyard hits every metric to perfection, especially with technology.'

Enduring vision in shipbuilding

Looking ahead, Lürssen remains dedicated to sustainability and education. It has supported 30 global ocean conservation projects through the Blue Marine Foundation and will nurture new engineering talent through its foundation.

With around 2,000 employees, facilities in Germany, Croatia, and the United States, and expertise in yachts over 60 metres, Lürssen remains true to Friedrich Lürssen’s enduring vision of excellence in shipbuilding.