Dredging in the Thames

To deliver world-class infrastructure fit for the 21st Century, which will allow the new generation of cargo ships to be able to dock on the Thames, it is necessary to deepen the existing shipping channel.

The area to be dredged is a 300m wide channel from the port area near Stanford-le-Hope, heading eastwards past Canvey towards Southend-on-Sea and out into the estuary. The majority of dredging will be carried out between London Gateway and Shoeburyness.

Maintenance and aggregate dredging are carried out on a regular basis throughout the year in the Thames; for example the Princes Channel dredge, which was a six mile dredge carried out in 2006-2008, improved safety and led to lower emissions as it reduced shipping times.

The dredge carried out by London Gateway will ensure the largest ships in the world are able to dock just 25 miles from the Capital. The dredge will allow the channel (marked on the map above) to be deepened by approximately three metres and the majority of the dredge material will be used productively to reclaim land for the port.

As the owners of the port, we have adopted a highly precautionary approach to the dredging process and are continually advised by scientists and government experts to ensure that environmental mitigation is performed to the highest standard.

To minimise any risks, London Gateway has contracted Geotechnical Engineering and Marine Surveys (GEMS), an independent and international company providing meteorological and oceanographic services that will monitor the dredge operation.

Using cutting-edge technology, GEMS’ world-class experts will not only supervise sediment levels but a whole range of marine variables using a concentrated network of buoys and monitoring stations. These stations will relay real-time information back to the specialists.

Data from these stations will be delivered to a project website and monitored 24 hours a day. In the unlikely situation that dredging operational thresholds are approached, or if a station is not transmitting, each instrument within the buoy will have its own modem and data processing unit to transmit a ‘caution’ or ‘stop’ text message to the mobile phone of a GEMS expert.

The use of innovative technology and world-class experience will ensure the dredging operation will be managed with the utmost care and professionalism.