The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in association with the Western Dredging Association is organizing three to four special sessions at the Annual 2011 WEDA31/TAMU42 Annual Western Hemisphere Dredging Conference and Trade show that will take place at the Opryland Gaylord Resort in Nashville, TN, on June 5-8, 2011.
The sessions will cover a range of topics addressing the “future of dredging,” i.e.,
a. What are our future requirements,
b. How might the US dredging fleet need to change in the next 20 years
c. What are our significant technical challenges? To name a few Issues that could be addressed include:
(1) Will climate change drive a need to increase dredge plant fuel efficiency and reduce emissions,
(2) Will increased trade and increased vessel sizes impact fleet size, makeup and dredging volumes,
(3) What will a probable increase in the need to use dredged
Material beneficially require in dredge fleet capabilities,
(4) How might operational constraints influence dredging and placement,
(5) Are there lessons from the recent berm creation following the oil spill in the Gulf that can be used to guide future dredging fleet capabilities, and last,
(6) How might dredging contracting options be improved in the future?
Two or three technical sessions are planned with a following panel discussion composed of government and industry leaders.
Presenters will include Dredging Specialist from government, industry, academia and international agencies and organizations.
Additional details on the “Future of Dredging” discussion being held at the Annual Western Hemisphere/Texas A & M Conference will be provided through WEDA announcements and updates. Technical presentation will be expected to meet current WEDA31/TAMU42 requirements for paper length, submittal dates, etc., that are described in the WEDA/TAMU Second Call for papers.
[mappress]
Source: westerndredging, November 11, 2010