The dredging market and environment
Type:
Presented during:
WODCON XVII: "Dredging in a Sensitive Environment" - 2004, Hamburg, Germany
Authors:
Yuan Yumin
Abstract: Water is the lifeline of everything on earth. Water moistens all creatures, feeds living creatures and creates culture. All four ancient cultural countries were founded along the waters and developed with the waves. Egypt has its Nile; Babylon has its two mother rivers; India has its Ganges; China has its Yangzi River and Yellow River. Each river represents an ancient cultural country, and nurtures a certain period's culture. In the 21st century, our earth is suffering from "environmental syndrome" with the value of water being more precious than ever before in history.
This paper looks at flooding and droughts that have occurred in China and the ways in which dredging can help to overcome these. It is noted that dredging and the Environment cannot be separated from one another and the whole of Society needs to become involved. The timely establishment of the Dredging Committee in 2001 to promote the dredging industry will help considerably.
The paper also looks briefly at some of the financial issues facing the dredging industry.
Dredging needs to discard outdated instruments, equipment and methods of management. Advanced facilities and principles that can guarantee outstanding quality, minimal cost and provide a reasonable profit and income in both the short and long term need to be adopted. The dredging sector must proceed into a new stage of development with the aim of "Benefiting the present and ensuring prosperity in future times"
Keywords: Droughts, China, Dredging Committee, financial issues, dredging development.