Company History

Everything started in 1835, when the merchant Casimir Friedrich Knörr surprised the people of Lucerne, by announcing his intention to operate a shipping service on Lake Lucerne. He successfully implemented his plans two years later, by launching the paddle steamer “Stadt Luzern” in 1837. Courtesy of the ever-increasing volume of trade through the Swiss Alps (via Lake Lucerne and over the Gotthard Pass) and because of a boom in tourism at the end of the 19th century, the shipping company eventually grew to become the largest in Switzerland.

In Lucerne the shipyard developed hand-in-hand with the shipping on the lake. The initially modest technical maintenance facilities continuously grew over time and eventually became a well equipped, always up-to-date shipyard.  Since 1931 the yard has designed and constructed new motor vessels, often by integrating or even pioneering innovative technologies. At the same time, also countless other vessels have been repaired or retrofitted.

The development and construction of MS Mythen formally marked the beginning of the shipbuilding era in Lucerne in 1931. Between 1946 and 1955 other and larger vessels such as MS Waldstätter, MS Titlis and MS Rigi followed. Between 1955 and 1963 the nautically impressive MS Schwyz and MS Winkelried were launched, before the shipyard continued its output between 1964 and 1976 with the MS Pilatus, MS Gotthard and the present-day MS Europa. Most of these ships featured such modern new applications as zinc-plated steel hulls and aluminium superstructures.

Since 1980, the activities have focused on the successive refurbishment of the entire fleet of historic paddle steamers, as well as the assembly of four new motor vessels, which had been prepared by partner shipbuilders.

All of these examples illustrate the rich history, long-term experience and significant know-how of SHIPTEC Lucerne for the design, construction and maintenance of all kinds of different ship types.