Flood & Coast 2016: Royal Smals introduces geotextile tubes for reuse of dredging sludge to reinforce levees
The new UK branch of Royal Smals launched its Baleen system in the UK during the Flood & Coast 2016 conference and exhibition. The Baleen system is a special developed dewatering technology for dredging sludge in geotextile dewatering tubes.
Royal Smals showed the Baleen system for the reuse of dredging sludge to reinforce levees.
The Flood & Coast 2016 conference and exhibition takes place in Telford, UK from 23 – 25 February.
New branche in the UK
At the booth of Royal Smals Paul Costigan (on top photo) presents the model of the Baleen system as presently used for a levee reinforcement work in the Netherlands.
Four months ago Paul Costigan became co-owner and director of Smals Dredging UK, the new branch of Royal Smals in the UK. He is very convinced of the potential of the new enterprise. “We fill a niche market for small dredging projects in channels and reservoirs, next to the big dredgers”, Costigan explains. “Relying on the knowledge of 80 experts and the availability 20 small and medium scale dredging vessels in the Netherlands, I am convinced we can build a successful branch here in the UK.”
Levee reinforcement in Slochteren, the Netherlands using dewatered dredging sludge.
Contaminated dredging materials
There has already been much interest in the Baleen system, according to Costigan. It is becoming difficult to dispose dredging material. Authorities become more and more reluctant to provide permits to dump the often contaminated dredging sludge.
Costigan: “With Baleen we offer a possibility to store the material temporarily in geotextile dewatering tubes till it has dewatered. Once stabilised it is possible to use the material in new constructions”.
Smals Dredging UK is about to start its first project at a sewage treatment plant. The plant will be upgraded and some former dumping sites for sewage sludge need to be cleaned up first.
Read also on this website
● Flood & Coast 2016: Uncertainties about climate change do not necessarily imply larger freeboards, 26 February 2016
● Flood & Coast 2016: Environment Agency excellence awards for flood projects by BAM, Team Van Oord and VBA, 26 February 2016
● Flood & Coast 2016: Dutch and British flood experts seek cooperation on asset resiliency and community involvement, 24 February 2016
● Flood & Coast 2016: UK flood prevention community seeks new strategies to address record rainfall, 23 February 2016
More information
Smals Dredging UK
Highbridge, UK
+44 7510 530150
www.smals.com
and
Flood & Coast 2016 conference
www.floodandcoast.com
Impression of the levee reinforcement project by Royal Smals in Slochteren, the Netherlands.