This page contain information copyrighted by other individuals and entities. Copyrighted material displayed in this page is done so for archival purposes only and is not intended to infringe upon the ownership rights of the original owners.
International Association of Dredging Companies. (ID: 13459)
Page 1 of 1 [Back to companies list]
As the umbrella organisation of private dredging contractors, the mission of the International Association of Dredging Companies is: to promote fair contract conditions and fair competition within the dredging markets to improve the international business climate for the private dredging industry to promote new markets for the private dredging industry now exclusively covered by state-owned or protected companies to promote the high standards which form the basis for all members operations as the worldwide dredging standards to inform the world about the fundamental need for dredging and the economic, social, technological and environmental benefits of dredging. What is dredging all about? Just think of some of the most impressive infrastructure projects in progress. Transformation to high-tech industry In fact, since the late 1990's, the private dredging industry has gone through a process of total renewal and transformation. Dredging is now a high-tech industry. Talking growth Ecologically responsible dredging is more than ever an economic necessity. Today s waterways are buzzing conductors for worldwide trade. The five roles of IADC IADC assumes five important roles: The role of guardian of common standards, of advocate, of facilitator, of educator and of information provider. General Secretariat of IADC The permanent secretariat of IADC is located in The Hague, The Netherlands. Dredging is vital to social and economic development. In particular, dredging is vital to the construction and the maintenance of much of the infrastructure upon which our economic prosperity and social well-being depend. So, when, and why do we dredge? The dredging process Capital (or new) dredging projects can be both extensive and expensive. Maintenance dredging is often a regular, perhaps annual ongoing, long-term activity. In either case, what are the key elements of dredging? Environmental issues What about the environment? Is dredging good or bad? How do we find out? Dredging plays a vital role in the socio-economic development and the environmental health of many countries and regions in the world. Dredged material management alternatives When we dredge, what do we do with the dredged material? In the last twenty-five years, this has become one of the crucial issues of dredging and there has been a continual dialogue amongst many nations and organisations on the subject. IADC counts over one hundred members. Together they stand in the forefront of the dredging industry. Quality Confidence in a job well done is easy to come by when you work with an IADC member company. It s what makes the difference. Quality is the glue that holds IADC s members together. It s what binds them. Skills, Integrity, Reliability and Responsibility, those are the four aspects of quality that IADC members choose to emphasize. Safety Minimising the potential for human errors, which contribute directly, or indirectly to casualties or pollution incidents is a task facing all shipping companies today. To meet this demand, IADC companies ensure that personnel are properly informed and equipped to fulfil their operations safely. Fair Contract Conditions For the smooth execution of a dredging project, one cannot do without a strong and clear contract. IADC members prefer fair competition, the use of sound tendering procedures and the use of standard contract conditions. Dredging is a general term covering a wide variety of different activities. However, a review of dredging applications reveals three main groups: capital, maintenance, and remedial works. Clearly, each of these three categories of dredging has different goals, but none has dredging as a goal in itself. Dredging is a means to an end, such as the deepening of a harbour, the removal of contaminated material, the creation of wetlands or the construction of a safe place for industrial or residential development. Capital dredging works Capital dredging involves the creation of new or improved facilities such as a harbour basin, a deeper navigation channel, a lake, or an area of reclaimed land for industrial or residential purposes. Maintenance dredging works Maintenance dredging concerns the removal of siltation from channel beds, which generally occurs naturally, in order to maintain the design depth of navigation channels and ports. Remedial dredging works Remedial dredging, purely for the purpose of cleaning the dredging location, is not always recognised as a separate type of dredging, and yet it has distinctive characteristics. lt is carried out in an effort by society to correct past actions, which have, in some cases, resulted in heavily contaminated sediments. Working for an IADC member company means travelling, going places others only dream of. It means getting to know people, their cultures, all over the world. But most importantly, it means being part of a team, colleagues that have become friends, being part of a team of highly respected professionals. A learning experience Instead of inherited, intuitive experience - the son following in his father's footsteps - formal training has become the norm. A world travelling expert-technician, sent out on-call for urgent repairs to the four corners of the world, replaced the traditional blacksmith. The complexity of modern-day dredging and the state of the technology have made it impossible to learn just by looking. Attention Teachers and Students Looking for a unique way to combine a school assignment on economics, social studies, environment and science, even history? Think about dredging. Since the industrial revolution, mankind has interfered with the environment at an ever-increasing rate. Our past lack of understanding and appreciation of our environment have brought us to a point where this interference is manifesting itself in ways that can no longer be ignored. Dredging techniques When using dredging techniques, we must be aware of the environmental effects of the changes we are trying to achieve, as well as the effects of the dredging activity itself. Past environmental ignorance Past environmental ignorance has resulted in many rivers, ports and harbours in the industrialised nations containing soils that have been contaminated by undesirable levels of metals and chemical compounds. When dredging in these soils contaminants may be released into the water column and thence into the food chain. The IADC/CEDA series of publications The IADC/CEDA series "The Environmental Aspects of Dredging" comprises seven integrated, but stand- alone, Guides on the issues touched on here. Aiming to promote a responsible dialogue about dredging and the environment - for those in the industry or related industries, for the public at large, for those organising training courses and seminars, for all interested parties - the entire series or individual books are available from IADC and CEDA. As the umbrella organisation of private dredging contractors, the mission of the International Association of Dredging Companies is: ................. International Association of Dredging Companies.