Lürssen issues statement after fire sweeps through shipyard 

A clean-up operation is underway after a shipyard fire tore through Lürssen’s Rendsburg facilities yesterday (2 July 2024).

The fire department reports that a blaze broke out in a shipbuilding hall at around 9.20 a.m. local time and burned for around 20 hours. Eyewitness statements reported multiple explosions and thick columns of dark smoke. The fire was extinguished in the early hours of this morning.

Local news reports that the fire spread to other areas of the yard after breaking out in the shed. Unconfirmed reports indicated that the hall’s roof and façade had partially collapsed, while a superyacht under construction had also been damaged. Numerous media outlets have named the yacht Honolulu, a 75-metre vessel valued at $250m currently being built for a Saudi Arabian billionaire.

It is understood around 100 employees were in the yard at the time, and they were told to leave immediately.

Yesterday, while the fire was ongoing, Lürssen said: “All necessary evacuation measures were initiated immediately. One person was slightly injured and is receiving emergency medical treatment. The fire brigade and police are on site. We are currently unable to say anything about the cause of the fire.”

In total, 400 emergency service personnel and two rescue helicopters arrived to fight the blaze.

This morning, Lürssen released an updated statement to MIN. It reads: “The fire that occurred on Tuesday in a shipbuilding hall at the Lürssen-Kröger shipyard has been extinguished since the early hours of the morning. We will now begin the clean-up work step by step in coordination with the responsible authorities.

“Shipyard operations have been suspended for today and will be gradually restarted in designated areas of the shipyard site from tomorrow, depending on the circumstances. Employees will be kept informed of the latest developments.”

Authorities will launch an investigation into the cause of the fire as soon as the temperature in the shed has dropped.

The news comes seven months after a 140-metre-plus Lürssen superyacht crashed through the doors of the dry docks at the boatbuilder’s facility in Bremen, in December 2023.

One employee was injured in the incident, which triggered a large-scale response involving emergency response teams, including a helicopter, water rescue and fire brigade units.