What is Removed When You Dredge?

The demand for dredging continues to increase, with millions of cubic meters of mud being collected every year. In the port of Rotterdam alone, around 20 million m³ of mud is removed annually, with approximately 75% coming from salty waters. This highlights the importance of dredging in maintaining navigable waterways and ensuring the country's transportation and trade networks remain operational.

The Netherlands, home to the largest port in Europe, Rotterdam, requires constant maintenance of its waterways. Each year, around 30-35 million m³ of mud is dredged out for this purpose. Siltation is a significant problem in the country, as it lies in the delta area of various rivers that supply large amounts of silt and clay particles.

In some parts of the Netherlands, an alternative approach has been adopted. Instead of dredging, people have designed new types of cargo ships that can operate in shallow waterways, supplemented by animal power, wind power, and tidal power. However, in earlier times, manual dredging was a labor-intensive process that required simple but ingenious tools.

Today, dredging is carried out using oil-powered ships, which consume up to 3,000 liters of fuel per hour. If canals, harbors, and rivers were not maintained for a few years, the country's economy would grind to a halt. The dredging industry has been the backbone of the Dutch economy for centuries, making it essential for the nation's continued growth and development.

In conclusion, what is removed when you dredge? The answer lies in the millions of cubic meters of mud that are collected annually, ensuring the country's waterways remain navigable and its economy thrives.

What is removed when you dredge ?