The Fehmarnbelt tunnel trench dredging project
A fixed and direct transport connection between Scandinavia and Central Europe has been an enduring vision for many decades. This vision is about to be realised with the construction of the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link, an 18-kilometre-long immersed tunnel between Rødbyhavn in Denmark and Puttgarden in Germany. When it opens in 2029, the tunnel will be the longest immersed tunnel in the world combining a dual railway and motorway connection. This article provides insight into the improved dredging equipment used and the methodology specially adapted and further developed to the project’s requirements.
Deploying private capital to accelerate the green transition
Green solutions in ports, waterways and coastal projects have increasingly become available thanks to many years of research and pioneering efforts in practice. These sustainable and/or nature-based solutions have shown to be good alternatives for classic solutions, but application is far from mainstream yet. One of the major hurdles is the lack of access of private capital to finance these kinds of solutions despite the strong interest of capital markets in green infrastructure opportunities. Identifying the hurdles and paving a way forward to overcome these hurdles could therefore help to increase the uptake of those green solutions.
The impact and costs of Building with Nature projects
The use of nature and natural processes is an innovative way to increase water safety and create added value through nature development and recreation. This exploratory study provides an initial inventory of the impact and costs of existing Building with Nature projects in the Netherlands. It also includes an analysis of the decision-making process in choosing this type of project and identifies success factors. Building with Nature projects deliver added value but often also involve additional costs compared to traditional reinforcements. These costs give an indication of what we as a society are prepared to pay for the development of nature and recreation as part of hydraulic engineering projects.
Applying the ecosystem services concept in marine projects
A full consideration of ecosystem services (ES) impacts, interactions and improvements can result in more sustainable and adaptive solutions for dredging and marine construction projects. Furthermore, the benefits can be translated in monetary terms, providing returns on investment and highlighting the links between ecology and economy. For some however, the ES concept is too theoretical. This article seeks to show how the ES concept can actively be applied at any point during a project and the benefits of doing so. Its purpose is to provide a framework for integrated and interdisciplinary thinking throughout the different steps of the project cycle.
Interview: Mark van Koningsveld ‘If you focus on primary objectives only, then you will pay in sustainability’
Mark van Koningsveld’s quest for a sustainable dredging industry takes to the front of the classroom as he begins his new role as professor of Ports & Waterways at TU Delft.
Dredging for Sustainable Infrastructure
The book Dredging for Sustainable Infrastructure gives state-of-the-art guidance on how to design, implement and manage a water infrastructure project with a dredging component to project owners, regulators, consultants, designers and contractors.
Interview: Tiedo Vellinga – ‘There should be a shift in the way of thinking about designing infrastructure’
A newly appointed Professor Emeritus at TU Delft and former project manager at the Port of Rotterdam Authority, Tiedo Vellinga discusses his role as a bridge between academia and practice and its impact on the direction of port development.
How can the dredging sector join the global shift towards sustainability?
A paradigm shift is being increasingly embraced within the dredging industry. The traditional engineering approach is becoming a holistic approach in which the ecosystem is leading and values for people, profit and planet are integrated in an interdisciplinary manner.