With a length of 180 m and a total engine power of 94,000 hp, Lürssen’s record-breaking newbuild is not only huge and strong, but features also an innovative and timeless design. Thus, »Azzam« earned the yard its first
»Ship of the Year« award from HANSA.
Having built 21 of the Top [ds_preview]100 mega yachts and seven of the Top 20, no other yard in the world has constructed more vessels of this kind than Lürssen. Now the Bremen-based company has also regained the number one spot in terms of size from Blohm + Voss, since »Azzam« is a substantial 16.5 m longer than the 163.5 m »Eclipse«, which was HANSA’s »Ship of the Year 2010«.
Under the direction and personal guidance of engineer Mubarak Saad Al Ahbabi – whose position hints at the owner being the Abu Dhabi Royal family – the technical engineering of the 30+ kn waterjet-driven »Azzam« was developed by Lürssen, the exterior by Nauta Yachts of Milan, and the »Turn of the Century Empire style« interior by Abu Dhabi-based French designer Christophe Leoni.
For both exterior and interior design teams it was a coup to win this project, beating other more established »name« designers with portfolios of renowned
superyachts. But Lürssen was the obvious choice as builder, as its 31 newbuilds over the past decade are eclipsing other yards (all of them over 60 m, 15 over 85 m, including the 138 m »Rising Sun«, Jon Bannenberg’s last project, and the 155 m »Al Said«).
Delivered on 22 October 2013, »Azzam« is Lürssen’s most complex and challenging yacht ever built. Peter Lürßen proudly confided last summer that she was ahead of schedule, having been launched on 5 April, and only took three years to build from initial steel cutting after one year of engineering. It has been reported that she has a missile defense system on board.
Although not officially confirmed yet, it is said the superyacht belongs to the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who supposedly paid around 630 mill. $ for the ship. Research has shown that the vessel also operates under the UAE flag. Other sources still mention Saudi Prince Al Waleed bin Talal as the owner. As usual, Lürssen won’t give any information about its customer.
Building a luxury, timeless, spacious and fast vessel
The design brief from Mubarak Saad Al Ahbabi was »to build a large luxury yacht with an innovative and timeless design that would be able to travel at high speed in warm and shallow waters, whilst providing luxurious and sophisticated accommodation to its guests«. No doubt »to create the largest yacht in the world« was in the mind of the wealthy client, too.
With regard to the propulsion package, 94,000 hp generated by two gas turbines and two diesel engines supply the four waterjets with power to achieve speed in excess of 30 kn. 31.5 kn were estimated and reported by a »yacht spotter« during sea trials, thanks to satellite data available.
Less is known about the technical specifications, however Italian company C.S.C. S.p.A. based in Schio near Vicenza released that it had manufactured the waterjets using a special steel with high resistance, while the design and construction drawings were done by Wärtsila and the supervision by Germanischer Lloyd.
Exterior and interior design
Mario Pedol, CEO of Milan-based Nauta Yachts, states about the exterior: »When I first saw the scale model before the general presentation to the Principal, I was 100 % happy with the outcome and so was the Principal. Such recognition made me confident that we had achieved our goal.«
»Azzam’s« beam of 20.8m allows for a main saloon of 18m wide by 29m long – that is some 522m2 of space (without any unsightly supporting columns, thanks to good engineering). Christophe Leoni commented on the interior design: »Though yachting is not my main area of business I thoroughly enjoyed the cooperation with Nauta and Lürssen and I am confident that the final yacht is everything and more the owner expects.«
With a relatively modest draft of 4.3m »Azzam« can cruise close to the UAE coast – an environment that Mubarak Saad Al Ahbabi created her for and knows intimately. As director of the Department of Presidential Affairs in association with the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) he initiated the Mangrove Ecosystem Research & Development Project to develop a mangrove species (Rhizophora Mucronata) that had been lost for about 100 years and should help to develop eco-tourism. It is unlikely that technical project manager Burgess will be adding a glossy brochure section on eco-tourism offering her for charter though, the yacht being very private. »Azzam« and Rhizophora Mucronata will quietly live side-by-side, the EAD no doubt keeping a watchful eye on protecting both for some time.
About Lürssen
In 2013 Lürssen delivered two more yachts: »Quattroelle« and »Solandge«, both 85m ships. And the yard’s momentum does not end there: In 2014 a 90m »project Global«, a 66m »project Green« and a 104m »project Quantum Blue« will be launched. Several other yachts are under contract. From under 60m to more than 180m in length, yachts developed by Lürssen are all custom-built, styles spanning the full spectrum: »graceful, bold, poetic, imposing, classic, innovative«. With a workforce of 1,550 and five state-of-the-art facilities
in Northern Germany the privately-run company is one of a handful luxury brands able to efficiently and swiftly execute such orders.
Lürssen has been run by the same family since Friedrich Lürßen established the company in 1875 – as a member of the fifth generation Sebastian Lürßen joined the yard as head of yacht services in 2010. The founder’s mission statement was: »Leading in quality and performance – that should be my company’s reputation.« In 1886, Friedrich Lürßen constructed the world’s first motor yacht »Rems«, together with legendary engineers Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. »Donnerwetter«, built in 1905, was an early and successful speedboat racing for the shipyard at all European motor boat races. Another true racer was »Saurer-Lürssen« of 1911, which, with the second generation Otto Lürßen at the helm, was able to win a string of trophies at the famous »Prix de Monte Carlo«. With a speed of 32 kn it was the unofficial world record holder at the time. Further innovations and records followed – again and again Lürssen managed to set standards in the most diverse areas.
Early on, Lürssen acquired competence and success with luxury motor yachts. After building mainly for European clients Lürssen delivered a large number of yachts to the USA from 1924 onwards, a connection that has been maintained and consolidated over the years. The success story from a modest producer of small working and racing boats to a leading producer of luxury yachts and high-quality specialized ships had begun. In 1971, the launch of the late Jon Bannenberg’s »Carinthia VI« (his first major yacht project) set the standard for today’s superyachts. The 71m vessel is still contemporary in her styling and has influenced many yachts.
From 1875 to now, around 13,000 ships have left the docks of Lürssen. Besides luxury yachts the yard also produces patrol boats, corvettes, frigates and minehunters.
Nick Jeffery
