Lürssen delivers 160m Project Blue

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Project Blue has an overall length of 525ft and a beam of 74ft; Photo: Tom Van Oossanen

Following a successful second sea trial, the 160m Project Blue left the Lürssen shipyard in Bremen in early July and headed to the Mediterranean, where she will spend her first season with her new owners. Terence Disdale Design handled the exterior and interior design of a yacht with an overall length of 525ft and a beam of 74ft (22.5m).

Peter Lürssen, Managing Partner of Lürssen, said: “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.”

Efficiency and the desire to be environmentally friendly were key drivers for the technology on board. Blue is equipped with a highly efficient diesel-electric hybrid propulsion concept developed by Lürssen’s own engineering specialists. The concept combines diesel-propulsion technology with efficient modern electric propulsion systems.

Exterior and interior are by Terence Disdale Design; Photo: Tom Van Oossanen

The system includes two diesel engines that drive two controllable pitch propellers through individual gearboxes. These gearboxes are equipped with PTI/PTO units that can be used for either electric propulsion (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.
To generate less noise and vibration, and reduce nitrogen oxide levels, Blue is equipped with a state-of-the-art exhaust after-treatment system. Furthermore, the wastewater treatment plant is equipped with new membrane technology that allows the treated wastewater to be safely disposed of in ‘drinking-water quality’.