Diameter: - tower shaft 3.02 m - tower head 4.00 m
Foundation: foundation plate, 6 bore piles
Time: 2009 - 2010
Building costs: 900,000 EUR
Our scope: civil and structural engineering
A new leading light for the Elbe.
The leading light line between the old Mielstack front light and the Somfletherwisch rear light marks out the shipping channel through a curve of the Elbe river for vessels navigating up-river near the mouth of the Lühe at Stade.
The latest container and cruise ships have become larger and larger, so that the leading light line was no longer adequate for the heights of these gigantic vessels. So the historic Mielstack front light tower has had to give way to a taller and more modern structure.
The new Somfletherwisch front light tower has been built on a deep reinforced concrete foundation. The shaft of the tower is a steel construction with a diameter of approx. 3 metres. The lantern has been newly built in the style of historic models.
For the nautically-minded: The leading light has a visibility of 12.3 nautical miles and marks out the 136° course line. The call sign of the front light is "Iso 8s". This means that the light illuminates in regular phases of 8 seconds: 4 seconds on, 4 seconds off ...
