Port of Sevilla wins
The port of Sevilla has won the Espo Award 2024 for its project “circular economy for valorising maintenance dredging sediments”. It was developed to address the need for sustainable management, in compliance with the principles of the circular economy, of the sediments extracted during the maintenance campaigns of the Eurovía del Guadalquivir, which is used as a maritime access route.
The Port Authority of Sevilla (APS) is leading the navigation optimisation project on the Eurovía del Guadalquivir (E.60.02) to improve navigability and increase ship cargo capacity without altering the channel's gradient.
Based on the “Working with Nature” model, this initiative promotes sustainable dredging practices, sediment revaluation, and environmental improvement. Previously used only for civil works, uncontaminated fine sediments extracted during maintenance are now repurposed to boost biodiversity, restore coastlines, and support the ceramics and construction industries. (cj)