Call for Expressions of Interest – Créac’h Lighthouse: A Call for Innovation to Modernize an Icon of Maritime Signaling

Located on the island of Ouessant, the Créac’h Lighthouse is one of the most powerful and iconic lighthouses in Europe. Commissioned in the 19th century, it plays a vital role in ensuring maritime safety in a heavily trafficked area. Today, it is at the center of a call for expressions of interest (CEI) launched by the North Atlantic – Western Channel Interregional Directorate of the Sea (DIRM NAMO), aimed at supporting its modernization.

The objective: to replace the historic optical rotation system based on a mercury bath— a substance hazardous to both health and the environment — while ensuring service continuity, maintaining luminous performance, and preserving the lighthouse’s heritage character.

An unprecedented technological and heritage challenge

The project involves a monumental Fresnel lens weighing approximately 17 tonnes, whose rotation must be ensured without the use of mercury, in a demanding marine environment. The expected solutions will need to combine innovation, robustness, staff safety, regulatory compliance, and preservation of the lighthouse’s visual identity.

This call for expressions of interest is part of the French government’s commitment to eliminating the use of mercury in lighthouses by 2030 and paves the way for solutions that could potentially be replicated at other heritage sites.

Project Owner
North Atlantic – Western Channel Interregional Directorate of the Sea (DIRM NAMO)

Subject of the Call for Expressions of Interest (CEI)
Identification of innovative technical solutions to replace the mercury bath used in the Créac’h Lighthouse optic system, while ensuring maritime safety, performance, and respect for the site’s heritage value.

Site Concerned
Créac’h Lighthouse – Island of Ouessant (Finistère, France)

Key Challenges

Elimination of mercury (health and environmental concerns)
Continuity and safety of the maritime signaling service
Technological innovation for large-scale optical systems
Preservation of a historic monument

Target Audience
Industrial companies, engineering consultancies, innovative SMEs, research centers, and stakeholders in maritime and optical engineering.

Timeline