Baltic Sea: Buk lighthouse - in emergency operation with new identification

The measure is unusual: the Buk lighthouse in Bastorf, south-west of Kühlungsborn, has been given a new identification for the duration of its repair. It was given a new identification by the responsible Baltic Sea Waterways and Shipping Office in a corresponding Notice to mariners (BfS) and consists of four flashes (Fl.) with a recurrence of 15 seconds: Blz. (4) 15s 0,7 + (2,3) + 0,7 + (2,3) + 0,7 + (2,3) + 0,7 + (5,3).

The actual identification entered in the nautical publications, on the other hand, consists of four flashes (L.Fl.) with a recurrence of 45 seconds: L.Fl.(4) 45s 2.1 +(6.9) + 2.1 + (6.9) + 2.1 + (6.9) + 2.1 + (15.9).

Emergency operation until at least the end of May 2026

According to the WSA Baltic Sea, the emergency operation is to be maintained until the repairs have been completed. At least 18 weeks are planned for this, i.e. until around the end of May 2026, after which the lighthouse will regain its regular identification.

The Buk lighthouse, which was commissioned in 1878, stands on the Bastorf Signalberg, around 2.2 kilometres inland between Rerik and Kühlungsborn on the Baltic coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Although the fire tower itself is only 21 metres high, the height of fire is 95.3 metres, the second highest value along the German coast after Travemünde.

Several beacon failures recently

Last year, there had already been several failures of German beacons, including well-known navigation lights such as the Kalkgrund lighthouse in the Flensburg Outer Fjord and the Kiel Lighthouse in the approach to the Kiel Fjord.