The boat was built in 2003 at Fassmer-Werft in Berne, Motzen (Weser), Germany; the hull was built from aluminium by Aluship Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland. The daughter-boat Verena was built at Lürssen shipyard.[1] In 2012, the original daughter-boat was changed to a rigid-hulled inflatable boat of the same name.
Total cost for the ship was just under 15 million Euros. The namesake of the cruiser, Hermann Marwede, born in Bremen in 1878 and died there in 1959, had been personally liable partner of the brewery Beck & Co. for around 50 years. Twelve grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Marwede made a significant contribution to financing the ship.[2]