Challenges in Developing a Sustainable Dredging Strategy

Sustainability issues are of growing concern in the world, as the effects of human activities on the planet become more visible. The environmental impact of dredging activities has been a point of discussion for a long period. Over recent years more emphasis is put on sustainability by different stakeholders in answer to the climate change effects like pollution, shortage of resources, stress on ecosystems and as a result an imbalance in the total system. It is our task to combine sustainability requirements with the ever increasing demands on dredging applications. To date, dredging equipment has been designed from an economical point of view. The social balance is more or less easily attained depending on the situation. This paper will evaluate the challenges to develop a sustainable dredging design philosophy with ecological requirements, without compromising economy.