IADC Releases 50th Anniversary Book Beyond Sand & Sea

The International Association of Dredging Companies (IADC) has released “Beyond Sand & Sea” a book describing in text and highquality photos the achievements of its members in the 50-year history of the organization. Photos and accounts of 50 “iconic projects” fill the 204 pages of the 9.5- by 9.5-inch high quality full-color volume. The focus is on the accomplishments of IADC members decade by decade starting in 1965 the year IADC was formed with 38 members from 12 countries. That number has swelled to 100 affiliated members “with regional offices and joint ventures … on every inhabited continent and in every ocean and sea” IADC President Peter de Ridder writes in the foreword.

The book is a history of burgeoning economic development throughout the world from the point of view of the dredging industry which has figured in coastal port storm barrier wildlife enhancement environmental cleanup and land reclamation projects around the globe. Indeed one can only draw the conclusion that dredging is the key industry in the world’s economic growth being the only industry with the capability of re-sculpting submerged land creating new land and fitting shipping channels to ever larger ships to enable the shipping industry to thrive and continue to transport more than 90 percent of the world’s trade.

Beginning in 1977 the Port of Zeebrugge Belgium expansion began adding breakwaters and terminals and deepening the port basin. More than 30 million cubic meters of material were dredged in the project which was completed in 1999.

Beyond Sand & Sea describes the changing world economy and dredging industry’s response to it over the years with stunning photos that illustrate projects where dredges created ports land beaches airports wildlife habitat and immense berthing areas to respond to commercial and environmental needs partnering in the economic growth of nearly every nation.

Royal Boskalis Westminster’s 35500-cubic-meter hopper dredge Queen of the Netherlands works to deepen the environmentally sensitive navigation channel at the Port of Melbourne Australia a project whose success won the port and contractor the 2010 Project of the Year by Infrastructure Partnerships Australia.

The U.S. which requires U.S. flag vessels for operations within its waters is the only major country not included. There are no U.S. members of IADC.

Marsha Cohen Jurgen Dhollander René Kolman and Melanie Taal comprised the editorial team for the project which took a year to complete. Member companies submitted photos of their own projects and the editors filled in with satellite photos of iconic projects such as the Dubai Palm Islands and Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok airport visible from space.

To eliminate the need to replenish beaches regularly the Dutch created the Sand Motor. In 2011 – 2012 hopper dredges placed 21.5 million cubic meters of sand along a 20-kilometer stretch of North Sea coast. The wind waves and currents were then allowed to transform it into dunes and wider beaches. By 2015 the Sand Motor had created 128 hectares (316 acres) of space for habitats and recreation and 35 hectares (86 acres) of new dunes between Rotterdam and The Hague.

Digital copies of the books may be downloaded from the IADC website: http://www.iadc-dredging.com under the tab “50 Years.” The document is 73 MB in size.

Printed copies may be ordered from IADC for € 24.95 (US$27.25). Shipping outside the European Union is €25 (US$27.31). Six percent value added tax (VAT) may be charged on the book and shipping costs depending on the postal address and business status. Submit orders to info@iadc-dredging.com.

In 2011 the first of two artificial residential islands under construction off Panama City on the Pacific Coast of Panama was begun with fill delivered by large trailing suction hopper dredges. This is the first island construction project undertaken in Latin America. Named Ocean Reef the development supports 138 housing sites with a marina between the two islands and a short bridge connecting them to the mainland.

IADC’s mailing address is PO Box 80521 2508 2508 GM The Hague The Netherlands. Phone: +31 (0)70 352 33 34.