Dredging Operations Research Articles

Investigating the link between the Port of Miami dredging and the onset of the stony coral tissue loss disease epidemics

Since 2014, the stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has been decimating corals in the Caribbean. Although the trigger of this outbreak remains elusive, evidence suggests waterborne sediment-mediated disease transmission. The outbreak reportedly initiated in September 2014 at a reef site off Virginia Key (VKR), during extensive dredging operations at the Port of Miami. Here we use a high-resolution ocean model to identify the potential driver of the outbreak by simulating the dispersal of dredged sediments, wastewater plumes and disease agents. Our results suggest that VKR could have been impacted by fine sediments produced by dredging operations, especially those involving non-conventional rock-chopping techniques. Wastewater contamination was unlikely. Additionally, our connectivity analysis indicates potential disease transmission from other affected reefs to VKR. Our results therefore suggest that dredging operations might be responsible for the onset of the epidemics. This underscores the need for stricter operational guidelines in future dredging projects.

Simulation Study on Sea-Rail Intermodal Diversion Operation of Container Terminal in the Beilun Port Area of Ningbo Zhoushan Port

With the continuous development of global trade, the Beilun port area of Ningbo Zhoushan Port, as an important node of international shipping, its efficient and orderly container dredging operation is crucial to ensure the overall operational efficiency of the port and the stability of the regional supply chain. However, the actual operation is faced with multiple constraints such as fluctuating berth utilization rate, complex truck scheduling, tight yard space, and so on, which need to be optimized by scientific means. To achieve more efficient container transport, it is necessary to further optimize and improve sea-rail intermodal transport to improve the efficiency of port container operations. Therefore, this paper is based on the background of the rapid development of sea-rail intermodal transport of port containers, focusing on the problem of dredging operation of container terminals in the Beilun port area of Ningbo Zhoushan Port, through the analysis of the characteristics and influencing factors of container dredging operation, research on the optimization of container dredging scheme and put forward optimization scheme for the problem of dredging in Beilun Port Area of Ningbo Zhoushan Port, which is aimed at improving the efficiency and economy of container dredging operation and the efficiency of container dredging operation in Beilun port area through the advanced modeling and simulation technology. Through advanced modeling and simulation technology, it aims to effectively improve the efficiency and economy of container dredging operations in the Beilun port area, to cope with the increasing throughput pressure and the challenges of a complex logistics environment, and to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the development of China’s sea-railway intermodal transport.

Risk assessment of e-waste - Liquid Crystal Monomers re-suspension caused by coastal dredging operations

The Pearl River Estuary (PRE), one of the primary e-waste recycling centers in the world, has been suffering from the pollution of Liquid Crystal Monomers (LCMs), critical materials with persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic substances used in electronic devices. It has been detected in seabed sediment with both high frequency and concentration near PRE - Hong Kong (HK) waters. In the same area, dredging operations with in-situ sediment have been frequently used in the last decades for coastal land reclamation projects. Dredging is known to cause a huge amount of sediment re-suspension into water columns, with potential damage to marine ecosystems and biodiversity.In this study, we proposed a new risk assessment strategy to estimate the secondary pollution due to the re-suspension sediment highly contaminated by LCMs. We formulate a robust and reliable probabilistic approach based on unsupervised machine learning and hydrodynamic and sediment transport numerical simulation. New risk indexes were also proposed to better quantify the impact of contaminated sediments. We applied the methodology to assess the potential impact of dredging operations in the PRE and Hong Kong waters on the local marine ecosystem. The results of the analysis showed how the potentially contaminated areas depended on the dredging locations.

Setting an Environmental Baseline for the Deep-Sea Slope Offshore Northwestern Cuba (Southeastern Gulf of Mexico) Using Sediments and Nematode Diversity

Deep-sea offshore northwestern Cuba is the less studied zone of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Our study aimed to set an environmental baseline and investigate a potential west-east gradient of sediment properties and nematode diversity along the northwestern Cuba. Sediments were collected by multicorer at nine sites in the insular slope between 974 and 1682 m depth. Sediment texture and composition showed a west-east gradient caused likely by narrowing of shelf width and increasing of downslope transport of terrigenous material. We found clear signatures of heavy metal pollution likely derived from Havana City but also from open-sky mining (Castellanos mining complex) and port dredging operations (Mariel). Nematode assemblages were dominated by the deep-sea genera: Acantholaimus, Metadasynemella, Desmodorella, Cervonema, Daptonema, Halalaimus, and Pselionema. α-diversity was about 20–50 genera and γ-diversity of about 100 genera. The β-diversity was substantial likely because small-scale patchiness of resources and heavy metals stress that increased assemblage variability. Individual weight decreased with depth indicating food-supply limitation in the deep sea; also, heavy metals were negatively correlated with weight suggesting deleterious effects on the growing. Our findings indicate that heavy metal pollution has reached deep-sea sediments and corroborate the long-range effects of anthropogenic activities on deep sea. Taxonomic diversity and biological traits (life strategy and trophic composition) constituted a powerful bioindicator of benthic health and benchmark for future potential disturbances in the region. Northwestern Cuba slope is still an understudied portion of the GoM and more research is needed to fully understand its biodiversity and biogeochemical patterns.

Geochemical fractionation of trace metals and ecological risk assessment of surface sediments in Sepetiba Bay, Brazil.

The Sepetiba Bay (Southeast Brazil) is a known Cd- and Zn-contaminated site that received spills of a large slag pile leachate from a Zn smelter. With important harbors, Sepetiba Bay demands periodic dredging operations which affect the mobility of the metals. The main goal of this work was to assess metal mobility in sediments and its associated toxicity in a fictive dredging area, to evaluate the risks of the operation. To achieve this goal, 18 superficial sediment samples were collected and characterized for pH and Eh. Sediments were analyzed for grain size, organic carbon, and total nitrogen, and metal mobility was evaluated with a sequential extraction procedure, proposed by the European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR). The results demonstrate that Cd and Zn are mainly associated with the exchangeable fraction (mean concentrations 1.4mgkg-1 and 149.4mgkg-1, respectively) and reducible fractions (mean concentrations 0.3mgkg-1 and 65.5mgkg-1, respectively), while Fe, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Al were associated with the residual fraction. Metals in the residual fraction are probably associated with the mineral lattice of the sediment and should not represent an environmental risk for the biota. The application of the enrichment factor and three risk assessment indexes (Risk Assessment Code, Risky Pollution Index, and Bioavailability Risk Assessment Index) show that the sediments are considerably enriched in metals that constitute a relevant risk for the sediment biota. In the case of dredging operations, Cd and Zn should be released to the overlying waters and be available to organisms, threatening the whole ecosystem. The proposed approach was shown to be much more precise than what is frequently presented in the Environmental Impact Assessments that only consider the threshold limits of the legislation.

Variability in estuarine habitat use of a threatened species in the northern Gulf of Mexico: implications for coastal restoration

Coastal restoration projects often require sediment resources borrowed from estuarine or marine ecosystems. A generalized additive modeling (GAM) framework was used to characterize fish-habitat relationships and predict spatiotemporal and ontogenetic shifts of Gulf sturgeon distribution within an impacted estuary in the northern Gulf of Mexico, Lake Pontchartrain. Habitat use and movement of Gulf sturgeon (n = 103) was monitored using an array of acoustic receivers (n = 81) from 2016 to 2019. Telemetry data was paired with environmental conditions hindcast from a high-resolution hydrodynamic model to develop GAMs for three life stages of Gulf sturgeon: juvenile, sub-adult, and adult. Model results demonstrated clear spatial, temporal, and ontogenetic shifts in habitat use for Gulf sturgeon in the Lake Pontchartrain estuary. The importance of spatial and temporal variables in the final models of all life stages suggests that distribution of Gulf sturgeon within the estuary is more likely driven by biology (prey distribution) rather than environment. Interestingly, dependence of Gulf sturgeon on the estuary for overwintering habitat declined with ontogeny. The northeastern shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain was identified as potential nursery habitat for overwintering juvenile sturgeon from the Pearl River, while eastern portions of the estuary and associated channels provide critical staging habitat and corridors of connectivity for migrating sub-adult and adult sturgeon. Given the clear need to prioritize conservation of Gulf sturgeon while restoring coastal marshes, findings from this study provide needed information to shape future coastal restoration and inform the siting and timing of future dredging operations in Lake Pontchartrain.

Retaining of dredging waste using geotextile tubes: analysis of the dewatering and undrained shear resistance of the sludge cake

The city of Rio Grande has its economy linked to coastal and port activities and has a port complex of high economic importance for the region. To maintain the depth of the port channels, periodic dredging operations are carried out, as occurred in the Port of Rio Grande between 2018 and 2020. Approximately 16 million m³ of sediments were removed from the channel and deposited in disposal zones. There has been an attempt to develop techniques that carry out the reuse and disposal of dredging waste more appropriately, seeking to minimize environmental impacts by avoiding inappropriate open-sea or onshore disposal. Within this context, this work aims to evaluate the potential of the retaining and dewatering process of dredging waste in geotextile tubs (linear geoforms, geobags e etc). This technique reduces the volume of dredged mud through desiccation and allows the geotextile tubs to be installed in sedimentation basins onshore or coastal protection structures. Thus, the present study evaluated the dewatering and filtration efficiency of these systems through tests of small bags. The advantages of adding flocculation polymer and the behavior of undrained shear strength over time of the retained cake were evaluated.

NEW STANDARDS FOR MITIGATING DREDGING IMPACTS IN SENSITIVE HABITATS IN SAUDI ARABIA

We propose a systematic approach to monitoring and managing dredge operations based on industry best practice advice, tailored to the specific conditions in the Red Sea, including the following key elements: 1) Relocation of corals from the direct dredging footprint, 2) Development of a site and project-specific dredging environmental management plan, 3) Undertaking turbidity and coral monitoring, 4) Turbidity plume hindcast and forecast, 5) Adaptive management involving all key project stakeholders. The paper lists the above key elements and presents a case study from Sindalah Island where the system was successfully applied – the first time such an approach has been implemented in the Middle East region.

ПРИМЕНЕНИЕ МЕТОДОВ ЭЛЕКТРОМЕТРИИ ПРИ ИЗУЧЕНИИ РОССЫПНЫХ МЕСТОРОЖДЕНИЙ ЗОЛОТА ХАБАРОВСКОГО КРАЯ

The article presents the results of applying geophysical methods in the study of placers of various genetic types in the Khabarovsk Territory. The main research methods are vertical electrical and remote induction sounding. Geophysical studies of alluvial placers were carried out along river valleys, at the watersheds and small streams of the Turchikansky lode-and-placer gold cluster. The main tasks to be solved are the search for potential structural traps of gold (paleoriverbeds, ravines), determination of the nature of the bedrock surface and the thickness of the overlying loose deposits. The work performed allows us to identify a prospecting indicator for placer gold in a given territory, that is, lower electrical resistivity values in the presence of a local positive magnetic anomaly. The study on the coastal marine placer on the coast of the Gulf of Nicholas (Sea of Okhotsk) focused on the lithological breakdown of the geologic section by physical properties. The results of the work showed strong differences in the electrical conductivity of the bedrock at the base of the section, marine sediments, and continental deposits. The application of electrometry methods is supported by the fact that rocks differ very distinctly by electrical properties. This is confirmed by placer mining activities at the technogenic deposits of the Verkhnyaya Uda and the Sofia mine. Mining and geological factors complicating dredging operations, such as permafrost and bouldery debris, were studied at technogenic placers by induction methods. Research results revealed that the presence of boulders or frozen rocks is manifested in the same way in electrical readings, that is, in a sharp increase of electrical resistivity. Thus, areas of abnormally high resistivity are hazardous areas for the passage of the dredger. These findings indicate the high efficiency of the application of electrical exploration technologies in the study of different types of placer gold deposits.

Distribution of Fish Species Infested by Livoneca redmanii (Isopoda, Cymothoidae) in Lake Manzala, Egypt during Dredging Operations

Distribution of Fish Species Infested by Livoneca redmanii (Isopoda, Cymothoidae) in Lake Manzala, Egypt during Dredging Operations

Determining the change in the bathymetry of Saldanha Bay due to the harbour construction in the seventies

Bathymetry is the science to study and measure the depths of the ocean floor. The differences in water depth, underwater slope and ocean floor structure were investigated using a geographic information system (GIS). This article investigates changes to the hydrodynamic sedimentation processes in Saldanha Bay as a result of the harbour constructions that took place in the early 1970s. The construction of the harbour included the massive dredging operations and resultant relocation of 30 million m3 of soil. Bathymetric data from Saldanha Bay before (1957) and after (1977) the construction of the harbour in the early seventies were analysed and compared in ArcGIS. It was found that the overall depth of the inner part of Saldanha Bay increased with about 1.4 m and that the bottom and slopes were smoothed. The physical structure that was constructed for the harbour had a serious impact on the hydrodynamic sedimentation processes. It was found that these interventions altered the depth profile of the Bay and the article finally draws conclusions on coastal and beach formation, based on the change in the hydrodynamic sedimentation processes of Saldanha Bay.

Flood risk of embanked areas and potential use of dredge spoils as mitigation measures in the southwest region of the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna Delta, Bangladesh

AbstractIn the 1960s, earthen embankments, locally known as polders, were first constructed in the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna (GBM) Delta with the intention of protecting agricultural lands from salinity; however, unintended consequences of the barriers have negatively impacted the region. Once‐active distributary channels have morphed into terminal, headless tidal channels as the sediment‐laden water that was once dispersed across the tidal delta plain is now restricted by embankments. Elevation loss within embankments and channel siltation adjacent to embankments are deleterious consequences of hard engineering and pose significant flood risk when effective sea level rise is considered. The purpose of this study is to assess the current and future flood risks of the embanked areas in the southwest region of the GBM Delta and to expand on the potential for local‐based solutions (e.g. mud plinths and embankments). We propose a novel source of material for these structures—repurposed dredge spoils.Project sites are along terminal tidal channels, proximal to coastal towns in the southwest region of the delta. We calculate here that as the effective sea level rise will continue to increase in the years to come, the flood risk will correspondingly increase (>67%). Geospatial analyses reveal that several prominent tidal channels have reduced in width over the last 30+ years, and recent dredging operations removed ~1.7 × 106 m3 of sediment infill. Using conservative values, we estimate that the dredge spoils could be used to elevate ~20 000 houses on mud plinths or raise 18 km of existing embankments. On a delta‐wide scale, if all infilled tidal channels were dredged to 10% of their original widths, ~547 000 houses could be raised above the flood levels and ~500 km of embankments could be elevated. With a mean household population of 4.3 people, repurposing dredge spoils can positively impact ~2.4 million people within the vulnerable southwest region of the GBM Delta.

It Is a Balancing Act: The Interface of Scientific Evidence and Policy in Support of Effective Marine Environmental Management

The marine environment is a complex system, and with growing human demand, the sustainable use of multiple marine resources is continually challenged. The increasing complexity of overlapping marine activities causes pressures on the environment. Here, we review the fundamental aspects for effective marine management, particularly the role of science and scientific evidence to inform marine policy and decision making. The outcomes of internal expert workshops were used to analyse currently applied marine management practices in the UK using four marine sectors in English waters based on the expertise: environmental impact assessments; dredge and disposal operations; marine protected areas; and offshore renewable energy. Strengths, weaknesses, and commonalities between these sectors were assessed in terms of their effectiveness for marine management. Finally, we make recommendations based on the outputs to better inform effective yet sustainable marine management. The importance of increasing accessibility to data, hypothesis-driven environmental monitoring, streamlining funding opportunities and ensuring effective dissemination of data to ensure scientific outcomes and achieve increased robustness of assessments is emphasised. We also recommend that assessment drivers align with the outputs and approaches should be holistic and engage with the public to ensure a shared understanding and vision.

Optimal interpolation method to predict the bathymetry of Saldanha Bay

AbstractAccurate interpolation when compiling bathymetric maps is essential in any water depth study. In the case of Saldanha Bay, continuous dredging operations are constantly altering the ocean floor, which has a detrimental effect on sedimentation and coastal hydrodynamics. If the integrity of the coastline is to be secured, accurate bathymetry predictions would be invaluable in determining the effect of dredging operations on coastal erosion. Inverse distance weighting (IDW) and ordinary kriging (OK) are two well‐known and commonly used interpolation methods to produce surfaces through spatial autocorrelation for numerous applications, inter alia, to estimate bathymetry. This study aims to analyse and compare the efficiency of the IDW and OK interpolation methods to predict the bathymetry of Saldanha Bay. Three comparative interpolation tests, which vary according to the decrease in the quantity of sounding points, are conducted. SPSS statistical software was used to assess the performance of the interpolation methods. Firstly, 2D scatterplots were used to show the correlation between predicted and measured sounding values for each interpolation method. Secondly, analysis of variance was employed to investigate whether the difference between the IDW and OK interpolation methods was statistically significant, and to determine which method was best suited for determining the bathymetry of Saldanha Bay. Findings revealed a strong linear relationship between predicted and measured sounding values for both IDW and OK when 100% of the sounding points are used. Conversely, for medium and small quantities of sounding points, a weak correlation exists. Clear similarities exist in the way that IDW and OK estimate and generate the continuous surface of bathymetry. However, IDW consistently performed better than OK across all interpolation tests. The findings of this study will assist in selecting the most suitable interpolation method for future bathymetry surveys of Saldanha Bay.

Valorization of Heat Treated Dredged Sludge in the Cement Matrix of Ordinary Concrete

The aim of this article is to propose a two environmental problems solution. One is the silting up of dams, despite the expensive dredging operations and the absence of a policy for the reuse of dredged sludge stored on non-agricultural land. The other represents the rate of cement used in the concrete. The dredged sludge is introduced after heating treatment at 600°C into the cement matrix of an ordinary concrete represents the proposed solution for both problems. In these eco-concretes, the cement has been replaced by treated dredged sludge at different percentages (5-10-20%) with a similar amount of water. Physical measurements and mechanical tests like shrinkage, absorption, and ultrasonic pulse velocity indicated dependence on substitution under dilution effect. Thermogravimetric analysis like the produced portlandite rate indicates a lack of reactive silica to supply the pozzolanic reaction. The results reveal that the substitution of 5% of cement by treated sludge leads to an appropriate concrete and minimizes the siltation effect.

Dispersion Plumes in Open Ocean Disposal Sites of Dredged Sediment

Management of estuarine systems under anthropogenic pressures related to port settlement and development requires thorough understanding about the long-term sediment dynamics in the area. In an era of growing shipping traffic and of ever larger ships; millions of tons of bottom sediments are dredged annually all over the world and the major question concerning dredging operations is not whether they should be done, because it is obvious that they are extremely important and necessary, but where the dredged sediments can be disposed of with the least possible ecological impact. The present study involves the evaluation of transport trends of dredged material from a turbid estuary disposed of in four different open ocean disposal sites using numerical model techniques, aiming to contribute to minimizing potential environmental impacts and maximizing efficiency of the dredging operation. The study is carried out in southern Brazil, investigating the fate of dredged material from the Port of Rio Grande, located inside the Patos Lagoon estuary. Simulations were carried with the TELEMAC-3D model coupled with the suspended sediment (SEDI-3D) module and incorporating results from the wave module (TOMAWAC) to evaluate the dispersion of the suspended sediment plume and its interaction with coastal currents. This modeling structure proved to be a valuable tool to study the hydrodynamics and sediment transport pathways in estuarine and coastal areas. Results indicate that the natural Patos Lagoon coastal plume was observed under the predominant ebb flows and NE winds, promoting fine sediment entrapment south of the mouth of the lagoon (in front of Cassino Beach). The dispersion plumes in the disposal sites responded to the wind intensity and direction and did not present any transport tendency towards Cassino Beach. Part of the dredged sediment disposed of in the proposed alternative sites located in deeper areas (Sites B and C) left the site and was transported parallel to the coast (SW–NE direction) according to the wind direction (NE–SW). The area where the disposal sites were located took around 4 days to recover from the dredging operation and reach the usual suspended sediment concentrations and the actual Port of Rio Grande Licensed Site for dredged material proved to be the best alternative among the investigated options.

Analysis of the Spatio-Temporal Evolution of Dredging from Satellite Images: A Case Study in the Principality of Asturias (Spain)

One of the fundamental tasks in the maintenance of port operations is periodic dredging. These dredging operations facilitate the elimination of sediments that the coastal dynamics introduce. Dredging operations are increasingly restrictive and costly due to environmental requirements. Understanding the condition of the seabed before and after dredging is essential. In addition, determining how the seabed has behaved in recent years is important to consider when planning future dredging operations. In order to analyze the behavior of sediment transport and the changes to the seabed due to sedimentation, studies of littoral dynamics are conducted to model the deposition of sediments. Another methodology that could be used to analyze the real behavior of sediments would be to study and compare port bathymetries collected periodically. The problem with this methodology is that it requires numerous bathymetric surveys to produce a sufficiently significant analysis. This study provides an effective solution for obtaining a dense time series of bathymetry mapping using satellite data, and enables the past behavior of the seabed to be examined. The methodology proposed in this work uses Sentinel-2A (10 m resolution) satellite images to obtain historical bathymetric series by the development of a random forest algorithm. From these historical bathymetric series, it is possible to determine how the seabed has behaved and how the entry of sediments into the study area occurs. This methodology is applied in the Port of Luarca (Principality of Asturias), obtaining satellite images and extracting successive bathymetry mapping utilizing the random forest algorithm. This work reveals how once the dock was dredged, the sediments were redeposited and the seabed recovered its level prior to dredging in less than 2 months.

Assessing the effects of lake-dredged sediments on soil health: Agricultural and environmental implications for northwestern Ohio.

Dredging operations produce large amounts of sediments, and when open lake disposal is used, it can pose a threat to water quality. This study examined the potential to use dredged sediment as a farm soil amendment. We conducted greenhouse experiments to determine (a) the physico-chemical health of a farm soil amended with various dredged sediment ratios, (b) nutrient dynamics when the soil blends were subjected to simulated storm events, and (c) the effect of dredged sediment on soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] belowground biomass and yield. The soil blends consisted of 100% farm soil, 90% farm soil to 10% dredged sediment, 80% farm soil to 20% dredged sediment, or 100% dredged sediment. After 123 d, the soybean plants were harvested, and physico-chemical analyses were conducted on the soil, soybeans, and percolated stormwater. We found that dredged sediment amendment improved soil health by increasing soil organic matter, cation exchange capacity, and Ca content and by decreasing bulk density and P concentration in a farm soil with P concentration above the agronomic recommended value. Crop biomass and yield averages increased with increasing dredged sediment ratios. Nutrient loss (P and N) in the percolated solutions from the soil blends showed no significant changes when compared to the percolated solutions in the 100% farm soil treatment, indicating no significant contribution to the export of nutrients in percolated water.

Sustainable Reuse of Dredged Soil as a Substrate Material by Improvement with Polyacrylamide, Straw, and Superabsorbent Polymer

Every year, a significant quantity of dredged soil is generated as a result of channel dredging operations. However, there is relatively little evidence available regarding the sustainable reuse of dredged soils. In this study, an improved substrate material mainly composed of dredged soil was developed to examine the effects of three substrate amendments on the soil’s nutritional content, physical properties, and water retention capacity, as well as the germination rate of tall fescue. The orthogonal combination of the three substrates was controlled in a pot experiment using polyacrylamide (PAM), rice straw, and superabsorbent polymer (SAP) at application rates of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 g/kg; 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 g/kg; and 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 g/kg, respectively. The results showed that adequate application of PAM may improve the water retention capacity and available N retention capacity of dredged soil. PAM inhibited tall fescue germination significantly when the concentration exceeded 0.5 g/kg (p < 0.05). The addition of rice straw significantly improved the nutritional content of dredging soil and the germination rate of tall fescue (p < 0.05). Increased SAP significantly decreased the bulk density of dredged soil (p < 0.05). The lowest test group was 48.20% less than CK. This study offers novel ideas for the sustainable reuse of dredged soil and serves as a guide for future research aimed at increasing the effectiveness of external‐soil spray seeding technologies.

Assessment impact of the Damietta harbour (Egypt) and its deep navigation channel on adjacent shorelines

Deep navigation channels have a great impact on adjacent beaches and crucial economic effects because of periodic dredging operations. The navigation channel of the Damietta harbour is considered a clear example of the sedimentation problem and deeply affects the Northeastern shoreline of the Nile Delta in Egypt. The aim of the present study is to monitor shoreline using remote sensing techniques to evaluate the effect of Damietta harbour and its navigation channel on the shoreline for the last 45 years. Also, the selected period was divided into two periods to illustrate the effect of man-made interventions on the shoreline. Shorelines were extracted from satellite images and then the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) was used to estimate accurate rates of shoreline changes and predict future shorelines evolution of 2030, 2040, 2050 and 2060. The Damietta harbour created an accretion area in the western side with an average rate of 2.13 m yr-1. On the contrary, the shoreline in the eastern side of the harbour retreated by 92 m on average over the last 45 years. So, it is considered one of the main hazard areas along the Northeastern shoreline of the Nile Delta that needs a sustainable solution. Moreover, a detached breakwaters system is predicted to provide shore stabilization at the eastern side as the implemented one at Ras El-Bar beach. Predicted shoreline evolution of 2060 shows a significant retreat of 280.0 m on average.