Advancing Sustainability in Dredging: Dutch Investment in Nature-Based Solutions
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Zandmotor. Credits Rijkswaterstaat
Amidst global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable development, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are gaining prominence as effective responses that can improve the sustainability of dredging projects. With projections indicating a rise in global funds for climate investment, €700 to 800 billion by 2050, there is a clear global drive across all industries to invest in innovative approaches to better protect the environment.
Across the global dredging industry, there's a growing exploration of NbS techniques to mitigate environmental impacts and bolster ecosystem resilience. Examples include sediment management and beneficial reuse, showcased in projects like the Randle Reef Sediment Remediation Project in Hamilton Harbour, Canada, which repurpose dredged material to create confined disposal facilities, reducing contaminant spread and supporting aquatic habitat. Similarly, ecosystem-based dredging methods, such as those demonstrated in the Maasvlakte 2 Expansion Project in the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands integrate habitat creation and selective dredging to minimise ecosystem disturbance and promote ecological restoration.
While there is growing recognition of the value of NbS, wider uptake in dredging remains slow. Speaking to CEDA Industry News, Simon Haafs, Coordinator of Knowledge and Innovation at the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management noted that this is in large part due to more traditional cost based assessment models, procurement methods and legislations that are not adapted for NbS.
In a bid to push forward the development and wider-uptake of NbS in Europe’s dredging industry, the NL2120 consortium has been created, driven by a major €110 million investment from the Dutch government, first announced in February 2023. It will lead a decade-long effort to propel NbS adoption within Europe's dredging industry. This major injection of funding underscores the growing recognition of NbS as a crucial component of dredging, driven by a rising demand for sustainable practices.
Collaboration with key stakeholders in the dredging industry, including Van Oord, and Boskalis, associated with NL2120, will help provide valuable insights into the complexities and obstacles of NbS adoption and strategies to address them.
Dredging Sector Benefits
The participation of dredging companies in the NL2120 initiative offers a unique opportunity to champion sustainability within their operations. By leveraging the resources provided by NL2120, companies can also access the latest research and development focused on NbS, enhancing their capabilities.
Furthermore, the consortium's emphasis on strengthening critical enablers for sustainable dredging, such as management programmes and institutional frameworks, is poised to help companies integrate sustainable practices into daily operations.
As Petra Dankers, a key figure in NbS initiatives at Royal HaskoningDHV, told CEDA Industry News, “Some enablers are more obvious for RHDHV work and some are more related to other businesses. For example, electrification of dredging is more something for the dredging industry itself, however knowledge on beneficial use of sediments, how to create landscapes without sandy terrain and especially how to organise the business case, take care of the legislation and provide well thought of maintenance programmes are things that are of strong interest.”
Additionally, NL2120 facilitates networking opportunities, allowing companies to collaborate with governmental bodies, NGOs, and industry partners to promote sustainability in dredging. Overall, participation in NL2120 empowers dredging companies to lead the industry in sustainable practices, driving positive change and environmental stewardship.
Hurdles to adoption
NbS often provides greater value, as Alex Hekman, chairman of NL2120, highlighted to CEDA Industry News, “NbS solutions address societal challenges while benefiting both people and nature, aligning with natural dynamics and offering adaptability against climate change impacts”. For instance, NbS coastal defences like sand engines, barrier islands, or eco-friendly substrates, as demonstrated by projects like, The Sand Motor and Hondsbossche Pettemer Duinen, contribute significantly to flood safety in the Netherlands.
However advantageous NbS may appear, their integration into the dredging sector has been sluggish. According to research from the WWF, barriers for NbS include a range of implementation, financial, policy, political, environmental and social risks to persuade private investors of its benefits, who may be put off by seemingly higher costs. Crafting a persuasive business case for NbS requires assessing factors such as long-term costs, estimated benefits (including social, environmental and economical), and risk assessment. WWF outlines common success factors for the bankability of NbS projects, including insurance or credit guarantees that could cover part or all of the loss of a third party financing transaction in the case of non-repayment or loss of value.
For many, these obstacles make sticking with well-established technical solutions more desirable. Alex Hekman, chairman of NL2120, underscored this barrier, stating, "We perceive it as our mission to demonstrate that NbS offer significant advantages, compelling projects to adopt them and invest in solutions that deliver greater value-added. To tackle these obstacles, we assembled specialised teams dedicated to researching these barriers, and their solutions. Through pilot projects, we aim to showcase the effectiveness of our proposed solutions."
This greater value added will need a shift in business models, not just looking at the upfront costs, but total life-cycle costs. For NbS projects upfront costs may be higher than with traditional infrastructure, however, maintenance costs over the life cycle are likely to be lower. Furthermore, longer term economic benefits of projects might materialise over time, and environmental benefits (for example, water purification) as well as social benefits (improved quality of life in the local area), though difficult to compute, must be taken into consideration when looking at total life-cycle costs.
Partnering for progress
With a budget exceeding €150 million, NL2120 operates within 11 work packages and stands as one of the largest global partnerships in the NbS field. One of the consortium’s driving goals is to foster coordinated efforts across the NbS research, development and innovation needed to prove and scale up NbS techniques.
With 25 diverse organisations—from governmental bodies to knowledge institutes, nature organisations, engineering firms, and dredging companies—it is financed through the National Growth Fund. The consortium also collaborates with a broad base of stakeholders to ensure a development of systematic knowledge to create large-scale solutions, with a focus on practical examples and practical pilot projects. Information is shared via publications and regular meetings to exchange knowledge and skills.
Groepsfoto 28 juni 2023. Credit: EcoShape
Stakeholder engagement is recognised as pivotal in the success of any NbS implementation, according to Petra Dankers from RHDHV talking to CEDA Industry News, “Within NL2120, governmental bodies, NGOs, and local communities are already actively participating, enabling the effectiveness of projects.”
It is hoped that the programme's ongoing learnings and practical experiences will contribute to more effective Dutch policy, coordinating with ministries for water infrastructure and management, agriculture and food quality and environmental standards.
Governmental Investment Dynamics
The Dutch government's significant investment in the NL2120 consortium serves to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability, innovation, and climate action. Simon Haafs, Coordinator of Knowledge and Innovation for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, told CEDA Industry News, "To safeguard our earning capacity and ensure safe living and working conditions, fundamental adjustments in land use, soil, and water management are imperative."
A core goal with the NL2120 programme initiative is not only to position Dutch businesses to lead in the global NbS market but also empower landowners to effectively utilise NbS to boost economic growth.
NL2120 is anticipated to yield substantial economic benefits, contributing to cumulative growth in Dutch GDP by €1,075 million in 2050. This growth primarily stems from additional exports of Dutch NbS and increased production in land-based sectors. Furthermore, NL2120 is expected to generate additional social benefits, including improved health, biodiversity, and a significant reduction of climate damage, amounting to an additional cumulative value of €880 million in 2050.
Leading the way
The investment marks a significant step forward in advancing NbS within the dredging sector, with the aim of seamlessly integrating these solutions into mainstream practices whenever feasible. Achieving this goal involves adjusting policies and institutional frameworks to encourage adoption while deepening the understanding of their effectiveness and implementation.
NL2120 presents an opportunity for spatial development projects and partners to leverage its expertise for shaping the future distribution of people and activities within different spaces. Spatial development, primarily guided by the public sector, involves planning the layout of communities and regions, including land use and infrastructure. By integrating NL2120's expertise, local and regional governments can enhance their development strategies and regulations, fostering sustainable land use and growth.
Additionally, they plan to invite educational institutions outside the consortium to participate in capacity-building programmes focused on NbS, with the aim of scaling up NbS implementation and enhancing knowledge dissemination. This initiative is expected to be opened to additional participants in the second year, starting in 2025.
The Dutch government's investment in NL2120 signifies a transformative shift toward sustainability through NbS. It is clear it sees the value in investing significantly in this burgeoning area and dredging should take note. By leveraging innovative solutions, the dredging industry can enhance its resilience to climate change impacts while contributing to ecosystem preservation, as well as opening up potential greater opportunities for revenue.
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