Abu Dhabi does CEDA-IADC dredging training
37 dredging professionals attended the training course on Environmental Aspects of Dredging in Abu Dhabi last month.
The training course Environmental Aspects of Dredging, jointly developed and presented by the Central Dredging Association (CEDA) and the International Association of Dredging Companies (IADC), was held last month in Abu Dhabi.
Initiated and sponsored by the National Marine Dredging Company, NMDC, the course took place at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT).
With 37 participants attending, this was definitely the biggest EAD course ever held. With so many participants, the organisers had to enlist some extra help. The two regular lecturers Gerard van Raalte (Boskalis/Hydronamic, the Netherlands) and Nick Bray (HR Wallingford, UK) were assisted by Mark van Koningsveld (Van Oord, the Netherlands), Michael Costaras (HR Wallingford, UK) and Lena Paipai (independent consultant, Dubai).
“Understanding the ecosystem is essential, said course leader Gerard van Raalte. “It not only helps mitigate potential negative impacts, but also improves and enhances the wider project environment, something that each dredging project should seek to achieve.”
Compacted into two very full days, the course is composed of lectures and working group sessions. Topics covered include an overview of the ‘players’ who may become involved in dredging projects and their perspectives; main types of dredging equipment, their environmental effects and possible mitigation measures; pre-dredging site investigations, monitoring and dredged material management. During the workshops, participants work in small groups to come up with solutions for dredging projects showing close resemblance to real-life dredging situations.
Participants represented a broad range of fields and expertise. They came from dredging contractors, consultants, promoters of dredging works and shipyards. Most live and work in Abu Dhabi, but others came from as far away as Australia and Ireland.
While the course is based on the book Environmental Aspects of Dredging, which was produced as a joint effort by CEDA and IADC and published by Taylor and Francis in 2008, the course material is constantly updated to reflect the most current knowledge and thinking.
In closing, Gerard van Raalte advised participants, “Make use of what you have learned in these two days so that your next project can benefit from it. Get your information from wherever possible. Use the book, the basis for this course, and involve the stakeholders early on. Very often they are the ones who know the most. After all, it is their environment.”
The training course Environmental Aspects of Dredging will next be presented in Delft, the Netherlands. Organised by the Postgraduate Academic Programme (PAO) of the Delft University of Technology, it will take place on 19 and 20 April 2012. For further information about future courses, visit the IADC or CEDA websites: www.iadc-dredging.com and www.dredging.org respectively.
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