Lürssen Maritime to acquire Blohm+Voss

The acquisition, pending approval from the German fair trade commission Bundeskartellamt, will result in a yard group of six sites and around 2,800 employees in Northern Germany. In a statement Lürssen noted that the deal with Blohm+Voss owner Star Capital Partners was intended to strengthen the group’s portfolio in repair and refit activities for yachts, naval and commercial ships as well as enhancing its naval newbuild activities.

Peter Luerssen, managing partner, Lürssen Maritime, said: “We want to use these facilities to complement our existing refit and repair activities and also to offer our customers an ever better service. In addition, we would like to utilise the competence and experience of the shipyard and its employees for the new build of complex naval ships and continue their production at the Hamburg site.”

Lürssen added that the future for yacht building at Blohm+Voss’ Hamburg yard is uncertain and will depend on the overall market situation.

Klaus Borgschulte, technical director, Lürssen Werft, added: “Based on the long-term cooperation between the two shipyards – we are currently working together on the construction of the new German Navy F125 Frigate – we are confident that we already have a good basis on which to continue this relationship and to move forwards with the companies under one roof.”

Blohm+Voss was acquired from ThyssenKrupp by UK-based Star Capital Partners in 2011. It was restructured as a single business, incorporating Blohm+Voss’s shipyard and ship repair operations, earlier this year, shortly after the appointment of new CEO Fred van Beers.

Van Beers noted: “For Blohm+Voss, customer focus and service take priority. With Lürssen we are gaining a long-term strategic owner who wants to jointly develop our company and expand our core business services.”

The family owned Lürssen Group was founded in 1875 and specialises in the design and production of yachts over 60 metres as well as naval and coast guard ships.