Success for HR Wallingford in the DPC Innovation Awards 2017

The New Markets Award seeks to acknowledge innovation in using novel or existing equipment or technology in a new way or in a new region. This includes carrying out applied research that opens up new market sectors or industry opportunities.

Through participation in Marine E-tech (a NERC-funded research project in the SoS Minerals programme, led by the UK’s National Oceanography Centre) HR Wallingford’s monitoring team have undertaken novel studies of the dynamics of sediment plumes in the deep ocean. Using remotely controlled and autonomous vehicles working in water depths of more than 1,000 metres, a series of plume experiments were conducted and the monitoring data collected was used to validate and refine existing HR Wallingford plume dispersion models for use in deep water environments.

Mark Lee, Dredging Group manager, said: “We are delighted to be recognised for our innovative work through the New Markets Award. The ground-breaking experiments indicate that, for mining Fe-Mn crusts in the deep water environment in question, the widely held perceptions of very large plume footprints arising from deep sea mining may be incorrect. The results of the bespoke field experiments, modelling and laboratory tests have advanced the understanding of the behaviour of sediment plumes in the deep ocean and will ultimately improve our ability to predict, monitor and hence manage, the impacts which may arise from future deep sea mining operations.”

Mark added: “We are also pleased to see personal recognition for Gerard van Raalte who received the CEDA Lifetime Achievement Award. We look forward to welcoming Gerard back to Wallingford this week to compare awards and continue our work together!”

This year’s winners were announced at a gala dinner and ceremony at the Sheraton Grand Park Lane Hotel in London on the 29 November 2017. The awards are organised by the industry’s leading trade magazine, IHS Dredging and Port Construction.

Image caption: Mark Lee, Dredging Group Manager, (centre) receives the New Markets Award at the IHS Dredging and Port Construction (DPC) Awards