CEDA Dredging Days 2007

The Day After We Stop Dredging

- dredging for infrastructure and public welfare

7 - 9 November 2007, Ahoy' Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Conference and Exhibition
7-9 November 2007, Ahoy' Rotterdam, The Netherlands

"What will the environmental effects of dredging be?" This question comes up in almost every dredging project. The answer must be given, sometimes in great detail, and this answer often pushes at the frontiers of our knowledge. We understand that it is important to address this question, but it often seems that we have to take a defensive stance for something that we understand is important, while many who object to the project may do so without any accountability for the consequences. So, during Dredging Days 2007 we reversed the question and asked, "What will the environmental effects be if we do not dredge?" The term "environmental" is not restricted to simply marine organisms, but includes the social and economic consequences.

Will flood risk be increased by not dredging? Will coastal towns and villages and coastal habitats be put at risk without beach nourishment? What happens to our jobs, trading position, and general welfare if we cannot accept the larger ships in our ports? Would we see more and larger aggregate quarries on land?

In their introductory presentations the keynote speakers gave answers to these and other similar questions. They pinpointed typical issues in their area of work that have led or had the potential to lead to the cessation of dredging or to reducing dredging effort. Speakers in each session offered approaches and solutions and presented case studies to help to avoid situations when dredging has to be stopped or reduced.

CEDA has designed this conference not only to present state of the art, useful information for the delegates and to have a fruitful dialogue between promoters and opponents to dredging works, but also to raise a wider awareness of just how important dredging is to the infrastructure and public welfare of our countries.