Dredging the Future
Assessing the Impact of Alternative Uses of Dredge Sediment in the Port of Rotterdam
F.T. van der Heijde (TU Delft - Technology, Policy and Management)
A Verbraeck – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Policy Analysis)
E. Minkman – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Organisation & Governance)
Miguel de Lucas Pardo – Graduation committee member (Deltares)
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Abstract
Ports face the dual challenge of keeping waterways navigable through continuous dredging while treating most dredged sediment as waste. Across Europe, only about 1% of the 200 million m³ dredged annually is put to beneficial use. This thesis addresses this challenge for the Port of Rotterdam, where offshore disposal remains the dominant practice because of its low cost and operational simplicity but provides no resource recovery and creates environmental impacts.
The research investigates whether participatory logistical modelling can support better decision-making on sediment reuse. An open-source simulation model (OpenCLSim) was developed to represent dredging, transport, and processing chains for three strategies: (1) continued offshore disposal, (2) land raising via truck or pipeline, and (3) reuse in concrete after dewatering. Stakeholders from the port authority, government agencies, contractors, and researchers were engaged through interviews, surveys, and workshops to co-define evaluation criteria and weigh their relative importance. Model results were combined with a multi-criteria decision analysis to rank alternatives.
Findings show that while offshore disposal remains the most cost- and time-efficient solution, pipeline-based land raising approaches cost parity at high volumes and delivers co-benefits for flood protection and habitat creation. Concrete reuse shows strong circular economy potential but is limited by dewatering costs, logistics, and regulatory barriers.
The study concludes that sediment management should be treated as a portfolio challenge, combining conventional disposal with targeted reuse projects. Participatory modelling proved valuable for exploring trade-offs, testing “what-if” scenarios, and building consensus—providing a transferable framework for more sustainable sediment management.