Interview on the shipyard's anniversary: Peter Lürßen on the "drive for perfection"

BOOTE EXCLUSIV: How would you describe the history of your shipyard?

Peter Lürßen: The history of Lürssen is in many ways a story of German engineering - but above all it is a story about people with visionary ideas and a drive for perfection. We don't just want to fulfil our customers' expectations, we want to exceed them.

What is Lürssen's vision for the future of yachting?

We want to stay at the forefront of innovation. From the very first motorboat to the first hybrid drive system, we are proud to have installed these technical innovations on our yachts before anyone else. My personal goal is to build the first yacht without combustion engines.

We have already made great progress towards this goal. We are about to deliver a yacht with a length of over 100 metres that can travel 1,000 nautical miles in a climate-neutral way thanks to a methanol fuel cell. That will be a milestone. To make progress in this area, we have been researching alternative fuels for over 20 years and opened an innovation laboratory for clean energy years ago.

In what other ways is Lürssen driving a greener future?

From efficient hull design and exhaust aftertreatment systems to appropriate service systems, our yachts are not only built to last, but also designed for optimum efficiency. We have patented many solutions that have become the industry standard.

We also harmonise our long-term environmental goals with the needs of our customers and the way they want to operate their yachts. This includes making the production processes in our shipyards as sustainable as possible. This includes the actual construction but also the choice of materials we use. We are now focussing on reducing the CO2 emissions caused by the activities at our shipyards.

The Lürssen Foundation is a new initiative. Please tell us more about it.

The Lürssen Foundation is an integral part of our vision for the future. We are committed to supporting the next generation of engineers who are striving for meaningful and responsible change. The Foundation's first initiative - an intensive six-month scholarship programme - was launched earlier this year.

We currently have several highly talented students carrying out research projects on clean energy in the maritime industry. They are young, dedicated people who are challenging the norms. If these scholars represent the next generation of marine engineers, then we can look forward to the future. Through the Foundation, we are also actively looking for organisations and start-ups that want to make a difference in our industry and in society as a whole. We offer support in the form of financial investment and partnerships for projects where we see the potential for real and tangible impact.

Why do you support the Blue Marine Foundation and what makes its work so important to you?

I have a long-standing and personal relationship with the Blue Marine Foundation. I was immediately impressed by the work they do and recognised the great importance of their conservation efforts. The Blue Marine Foundation is working towards the ambitious but achievable goal of protecting at least 30 per cent of the oceans by 2030. I wholeheartedly support them and encourage everyone to learn more about their work and get involved in marine conservation in any way they can.

Read more about this:

• Portrait: 150 years of Lürssen - Creator of the very largest