United Kingdom Embarks on Maintenance Dredging Initiative

Standing alongside the ports industry, in discussions with the Department for Transport, DEFRA and English Nature, the ports and marinas groups hopes to determine what it calls a ‘suitable, practical and proportionate approach to managing and administering maintenance dredging in England, ‘ whilst ensuring that the competent authorities ‘correctly fulfil their obligations under the Habitats Directive, ‘ which, says the BMF, ‘is no easy task given the wording of the Directive and how it is being interpreted in the UK.’

The BMF says no revisions to current legislation are proposed by the group, but it is seeking to have all maintenance dredging and disposal within an estuary considered together, offering the potential for efficiency, more certainty on renewals and eventually longer periods between renewals.

The BMF said it is striving to ensure that any costs associated with obtaining relevant consents would be proportionate to the amount of dredging. Thanks to its members, the BMF already has examples where a substantial proportion of the total cost of maintenance dredging is directly attributable to the consents process. ‘In this way, we’re gathering evidence for our case that marinas and moorings providers incur disproportionate costs when applying for consents, ‘ said the BMF in a recent statement.

A proposal from the industries has been accepted, the next stage of which is to establish pilot schemes for a number of sites.

Harwich, Falmouth and Cowes have all been suggested as potential pilots.

‘Pilot areas will almost certainly be instrumental in shaping the system we end up with, ‘ said the BMF, noting that, if its members are located in one of these areas and have cause to undertake maintenance dredging, they should contact the Federation.