NewsMole tower in Bremerhaven threatens to collapse

Mole tower in Bremerhaven threatens to collapse

Created: 8/18/2022, 5:46 p.m

Moleturm
Bremerhaven’s leaning pier tower. © Sina Schuldt/dpa

The beacon on the north mole of Bremerhaven threatens to collapse. A shock for many residents, because the pier tower with the distinctive red head is a landmark of the port city.

Bremerhaven – One of Bremerhaven’s landmarks, the mole tower at the entrance to the fishing port, is in danger of falling over. During the night of Thursday, the north mole, at the top of which is the beacon with the red head, lowered – the approximately 20-meter-high tower then got into a dangerous lopsided position.

Whether the tower will tip over in the coming hours or days is not foreseeable, said the managing director of the port operator Bremenports, Robert Howe, on site on Thursday. If that were to happen, all necessary safeguards had been taken. The structure is now to be removed with heavy equipment as soon as possible, probably as early as the weekend. The city of Bremerhaven criticized that the structure had not been secured earlier.

Landmark of Bremerhaven

The north mole with the beacon is one of the landmarks of Bremerhaven. According to the city, the navigation mark, which was put into operation in 1914, has been a listed building since 2001. The north mole is owned by the State of Bremen, the tower with its active beacon belongs to the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration.

The subsidence of the mole was not foreseen, Howe said. “Nevertheless, we have known for a number of years that the stability of the mole and thus of course the stability of the tower is at risk.” According to Bremenports, the mole and the mole head on which the tower stands are founded on wooden piles. Investigations showed that these were lost under the pier. That’s why the pier was closed to visitors.

Bremerhaven’s Lord Mayor Melf Grantz (SPD) was appalled at the damage and sharply criticized it. “If you wanted to be cynical, you could say that was a disaster with announcement. For years I have been urgently informing those responsible in the Senate and at Bremenports of the need to renovate the north mole, but unfortunately nothing visible has happened.”

On Thursday evening, the shipping traffic that had been blocked since the morning at the entrance to the Geeste River and the fishing port for commercial shipping and the Weser ferry from Bremerhaven to Nordenham (Blexen) was released again. The Geeste flows into the Weser at the tip of the pier. Ferry traffic on the Weser was not restricted. dpa

Schedules of the Valencia GP of MotoGP in Cheste and how to see it

The Cheste circuit hosts this weekend, from November 4 to 6, the 2022 MotoGP Comunitat Valenciana GP. See the schedules and all the information.

"Don't talk to me!": Danni Büchner makes a clear announcement to hated party guests

Danni Büchner is invited to Sam Dylan's Halloween party. But the "Goodbye Germany" emigrant has no desire for many other party guests. And find clear words.

King Charles III Portrait now on the first coin: Serious change to the Queen

Charles III first coins with his portrait are there. Coin lovers immediately discover two striking differences.

Unknown colourfulness

Bird Species Discovered on Islands in Indonesia

Braking was tricky

Apart from that, everything worked like a picture book for the railway world record in Switzerland

More