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Invitation to represent CEDA at the OSPAR Convention

2022-06-07

Placement of dredged material at sea is widely regulated by international or regional conventions with contracting parties being obliged to introduce national legislation that conforms to them.

Since the early 90s CEDA has had official Non-Governmental Observer (NGO) status at two conventions

In the past 30+ years CEDA representatives have been working closely with these conventions by providing independent expert advice and promoting best practice in planning, designing and implementing dredging and marine infrastructure projects.

CEDA’s aim with this work has been to ensure that any legislation pertaining to dredging and disposal or placement of dredged sediments and maritime construction works is based on the sound technical and scientific knowledge takes account of best practice and is ultimately workable.

We are now looking for an expert who would undertake the representation of CEDA at the meetings of the OSPAR Working Group Environmental Impacts of Human Activities (EIHA) on a voluntary basis.

Items relevant to the dredging sector that are currently on the agenda of the OSPAR EIHA Working Group include:

  • contamination caused by dredged material
  • underwater noise
  • marine spatial planning
  • climate change adaptation and
  • implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

Since most recently we have also been monitoring the subject offshore renewables in the context of dredging.

OSPAR EIHA meets once a year. The meetings last one week and are held in the UK or in one of the 15 contracting parties to OSPAR.

The suitable candidate

  • has a sound technical, scientific knowledge of the EIHA topics and a good understanding of the practical concerns of the dredging sector and is capable to discuss and present these topics at the required level;
  • can commit to undertake this task for a period of minimum two years;
  • will be able to undertake this task on a voluntary basis without compensation for time or travel costs.

The CEDA representative will be required

  • to attend the annual EIHA meetings, at least during the agenda items relevant for CEDA;
  • to consult the CEDA Environment Commission (CEC) on relevant agenda items in advance and to write a report of those items after the meeting; 
  • to participate in EIHA task groups, drafting groups as and when appropriate or if he or she cannot undertake the task himself/herself to ensure proper CEDA representation on these groups;
  • to have a good understanding of CEDA and its aims and to be up to date on CEDA’s activities in particular on those of the CEC;
  • to put forward impartial views, representing the interest of the dredging field as a whole and not the interest of any particular sector or company/organization.

He/she will have a standing invitation to the CEC meetings for interaction on relevant OSPAR subjects.

While undertaking this task requires considerable commitment from the individual and his/her organisation it is equally rewarding both professionally and personally.

For further information and/or to apply please contact Frederik Roose, Chairman of CEC (frederik.roose@mow.vlaanderen.be ) or Mieke van Loenen, General Manager of CEDA (miekevanloenen@dredging.org). Applications, accompanied with a short professional CV should be submitted by 30 June 2022.

Best regards,

Frederik Roose, Chairman CEDA Environment Commission
Mieke van Loenen, General Manager CEDA


The most recent CEDA representative on the OSPAR EIHA Working Group was Ivana Prusina (Witteveen + Bos, the Netherlands)

CEDA is also represented on three OSPAR Intersessional Correspondence Groups (ICGs):

  • ICG-MSFD on the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive where Ms. Prusina was the CEDA representative;
  • ICG-Noise, where Dr. Frank Thomsen (DHI, Denmark) is the CEDA representative and the
  • ICG-Deep Sea Mining, where Tom Matthewson (HR Wallingford, UK) is the CEDA representative.