Coastal Protection

Creating, preserving, and restoring coastlines and beaches to protect life along the coast.

We rise to the challenge of rising sea levels

The constant rise in sea levels due to climate change and continuous coastal erosion from rough weather conditions call for efficient and intelligent creation, preservation, and restoration.

Rohde Nielsen strives to offer sustainable Coastal Protection, applying methods that are highly suitable for the natural variation in coastal profiles, as well as changing seabed profiles, currents, sea state, and sand quality. All done to safeguard coastal life in the best way possible.

Featured Coastal Protection projects

See all

Blåvand Coastal Protection

Explore Project

Purpose:
The project consisted of 5.4km of beach nourishment along Blåvand beach…

Location:: Danish West Coast (DEN)
Scope:: 275,000 m3
Client:: Danish Coastal Authority
Year:: 2022-2023

Island of Sylt 2023

Explore Project

Purpose:
To protect the beaches and coastline of the west coast…

Location:: Sylt (GER)
Scope:: 1,111,111 m3
Client:: Landesbetrieb für Küstenschutz, Nationalpark und Meeresschutz (LKN)
Year:: 2023

Kolobrzeg-Ekopark

Explore Project

Purpose:
To fortify the beach against winter storms from the Baltic Sea….

Location:: Kolobrzeg (POL)
Scope:: 180,000 m3
Client:: Maritime Authority of Szczecin
Year:: 2023

Stockton Beach Amenity Project

Explore Project

Purpose:
To preserve and protect the beach natural environment and character….

Location:: Stockton Beach, New South Wales (AUS)
Scope:: 130,000 m3
Client:: NSW Government
Year:: 2023

Föhr

Explore Project

Purpose:
The quantity reclaimed was 200,000 m3 through a sinker line…

Location:: Föhr, Germany
Scope:: 200,000 m3
Client:: Landesbetrieb für Küstenschutz
Year:: 2022

Colombo South

Explore Project

Purpose:
800,000 m3 of sand distributed on the beaches Kalutara, Angulana and Mt. Lavinia…

Location:: Kalutara, Angulana, Mt. Lavinia, Sri Lanka
Scope:: 800,000 m3
Client:: Coast Conservation Mgmt. Dept.
Year:: 2020

Séte Frontignan

Explore Project

Purpose:
Beach nourishment project to contain erosion and limit the risk of inundations….

Location:: Montpellier, France
Scope:: 180,000 m3
Client:: Sète Agglopôle Méditerranée
Year:: 2019-2020

KDI, Danish West Coast

Explore Project

Purpose:
A long-term Beach Nourishment contract at the Danish West Coast …

Location:: West Coast of Jutland, Denmark
Scope:: Between 950,011 m3 and 3,470,335 m3
Client:: Danish Coastal Authority
Year:: 2012-2019

Caparica Beaches

Explore Project

Purpose:
Dredging 1,000,000m3 of sand available in the access channel to the port of Lisbon…

Location:: Almada – Caparica, Portugal
Scope:: 1,000,000 m3
Client:: APL-Administracão do Porto APA
Year:: 2019

Marawila

Explore Project

Purpose:
Offshore sand mining and beach nourishment…

Location:: Marawila, Sri Lanka
Scope:: 800,000 m3
Client:: Coast Conservation Mgmt. Dept.
Year:: 2016-2017

Gold Coast Beaches

Explore Project

Purpose:
Dredging, Rainbowing and Bottom-dumping on the Gold Coast…

Location:: Gold Coast, Australia
Scope:: 3,000,000 m3
Client:: Council of the City of Gold Coast
Year:: 2017

Dutch Coast

Explore Project

Purpose:
Beach and foreshore nourishment on the Dutch coast…

Location:: Dutch Coastline, The Netherlands
Scope:: 10,377,900 m3
Client:: Rijkswaterstaat PPO
Year:: 2013-2017

Our Coastal Protection methods

Rohde Nielsen applies three methods to protect the coast.

Using a floating or submerged pipeline, we can pump sand directly onto the beach. Another method entails pumping dredged material directly out over the bow of the ship, also referred to as The Rainbow Method. Finally, we can place sand close to the shore using our state-of-the-art split hopper dredgers. These vessels are specially tailored to operate in shallow water and can place heavy loads of material directly from the hopper.

Featured projects worldwide

Working with nature. Not against it

At Rohde Nielsen, we offer some of the most environmentally friendly coastal protection methods worldwide, always striving to eliminate any disturbances to the natural environment.

Depending on the state and level of the erosion, the nature of the beach, and a multitude of other variables, we plan and execute Coastal Protection projects using one or more of the abovementioned methods.

These methods are highly suitable for the natural variation in coastal profiles and show that we always strive to work with nature in the best possible way. Each of these are also adaptable to changing seabed profiles, currents, sea state, and sand quality for maximum effectiveness.

Read about sustainability

Protecting coastlines requires a caring mindset

Coastal Protection and restoration are not just a question of efficient nourishment of the coastline. Coastal Protection projects require thorough hydrographic surveys, superior technical solutions, a well-maintained and highly reliable fleet, and strict control of logistics to ensure optimal results and to meet operational deadlines on time and within budget.

Furthermore, it requires a caring mindset that thinks nature into every decision. It is, and will always be, a priority at Rohde Nielsen that we go above and beyond requirements when protecting the natural environment, preserving ecosystems wherever we operate, and
reducing our footprint.

Explore the fleet

Your preferred marine contractor

We strive to retain our position as one of the largest dredging and marine contractors in Europe, and a preferred partner in projects worldwide.