[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ürssen has announced their latest investment of more than 13 million euros to reinvent Blohm+Voss’ Dock 10 into a new hall-like construction with a sophisticated design from the drawing board of German architect, Werner Sobek. Dock 10 will become Europe’s largest covered floating dock and will integrate into the world-famous Hamburg harbour panorama. The design was presented on 29 January 2020 by representatives of the city, the shipyard and the architect’s office. Since Blohm+Voss was acquired by the Lürssen group in 2016, the new owner has invested approximately 20 million euros in the Hamburg shipyard. After completion of the work on Dock 10, the total investment at Blohm+Voss will increase to over 33 million euros.
In covering the 287-metre-long floating dock, Lürssen is investing in the upgrade of the Blohm+Voss dock infrastructure, thereby further strengthening the Hamburg shipyard location. With the construction of this roof, Lürssen is continuing to invest in the modernisation of its Hamburg shipyard. Not only will the new structure offer improved occupational health and safety and help to reduce emissions, it will also render the shipyard better-equipped for confidential projects and the oftentimes temperamental Hamburg weather.
“The renovation enables us to significantly expand the range of repairs and refit services for existing and potential customers of yachts, naval and cruise ships. It also further increases the appeal of the location, especially for our yacht customers“, explained Dr. Klaus Borgschulte, Chairman of the Supervisory Board for Blohm+Voss. “In addition, we will significantly improve the working conditions for our employees and make ourselves less dependent on the weather. Thanks to the new roof, we will be able to also significantly reduce noise emissions and energy consumption. “
The design of the new roof for Dock 10 was conceived by the German architect and engineer Werner Sobek. Once completed, the hall-like construction will grant the possibility for superyacht owners to display their ships within the floating dock or be covered by a custom-made drape if desired. The design is appropriate to its prominent location, and takes other important aspects into account such as technical feasibility and manageability whilst in operation. In future, the structure of the hall will consist of a framework of panels along the length of the dock, which are alternately arranged inwards and outwards. These stretched and curved panels create folds of reflection and shadow that act as an accent along the length of the dock. For more confidential projects, a custom-made drape can be drawn across the length of the membrane to provide complete privacy.
Overall, the design by Werner Sobek provides an intelligent answer to the necessary construction and material requirements of the yard, which are in the best interest of the people working in the dock and also the regular dock movements. As Werner Sobek explained: “The textile cover is poetic and useful at the same time. It protects people and objects from the rigours of the weather without disturbing the visual relationships between inside and outside. Dock 10 will be a significant complement to Hamburg’s beautiful cityscape.”
The demanding construction of the new structure at Blohm+Voss is planned to take place from mid-2020, also using the neighbouring 351-metre Elbe 17 dock. For this reason, the yacht currently lying in Elbe 17 will first be moved into Dock 10 and then both yacht and dock will be re-docked together in Elbe 17. The work on the yacht will continue unabated during the construction of the new roof. After an expected construction time of around six months, the floating dock and the yacht inside will both be relocated to the Lürssen Berne shipyard in Bremen until the vessel is scheduled to be completed. The dock is expected to then return to its original position at Blohm+Voss in Hamburg in 2022.
