The Tees Dichotomy

Navigating a Sustainable Future for a Working River

An Economic Engine

£1.4B

Annual GVA

22,000

Jobs Supported

Future Growth Projections

+70% Container & +110% Dry Bulk Volumes

An Ecological Jewel

12,000+

Hectares Protected (SPA)

20,000+

Wintering Waterbirds

Key Designations

SSSI, Special Protection Area & Ramsar Site

The Dredging Operation & Its Footprint

Continuous maintenance dredging is essential to keep the port operational. Trailing Suction Hopper Dredgers (TSHDs) remove sediment which is then transported to a designated offshore disposal site. The type of sediment changes along the river's course.

Dredged Material Composition

Sediment becomes progressively sandier towards the sea.

Operational Flow

1. TSHD Dredges Channel
2. Hopper Fills with Sediment
3. Transport to Tees Bay 'A'
4. Disposal in Rotated Zones

Unseen Risks Below the Surface

Chemical Risk: Contaminants

Dredging can re-suspend legacy industrial pollutants like Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) stored in riverbed sediments, making them available to wildlife.

Physical Risk: Turbidity

Sediment plumes cloud the water, reducing light for plant life and smothering seabed habitats that are vital food sources for protected birds and fish.

Biological Risk: Disturbance

Underwater noise and vessel presence can disrupt critical behaviors like breeding, feeding, and resting for sensitive species like seals and terns.

A Calendar of Care: Navigating Sensitive Seasons

A strategic, year-round approach is required to minimize dredging impacts during critical periods for the Tees' protected wildlife. This calendar highlights the months of highest ecological sensitivity.

Month Harbour Seal Migratory Fish Breeding Terns Wintering Birds Overall Risk

The Path to Best Practice

A hierarchical framework of actions can elevate dredging from a state of managed risk to one of genuine environmental stewardship.

1

Immediate Actions (0-2 Yrs)

  • Adopt Ecological Calendar
  • Implement Adaptive Turbidity Monitoring
  • Audit & Upgrade Sediment Control Tech
2

Medium-Term (2-5 Yrs)

  • Commission Beneficial Use Study
  • Re-evaluate Dredging Tech for Hotspots
  • Publish Formal Management Plan
3

Long-Term Vision (5+ Yrs)

  • Establish Sediment Partnership
  • Pilot Silt Treatment for Habitat Creation
  • Integrate into Core Port Strategy

From Waste to Wealth: The Promise of Beneficial Use

The ultimate best practice is to shift from a linear "dredge and dispose" model to a circular one, treating sediment as a valuable resource for habitat creation and construction.

A Circular Sediment Economy

Linear Model (Current)

Dredge ➔ Dispose at Sea

Circular Model (Future)

Dredge ➔ Segregate ➔ Reuse

(Beach Nourishment, Habitat Creation)

Potential Sediment Profile

A significant portion of dredged material (clean sand) has immediate potential for beneficial reuse.