Ecosystem Based Carbon Footprinting of Marine Engineering Projects

Dredging projects use large amounts of fuel, which lead to substantial CO₂ emissions. So far reducing the carbon footprint of dredging projects mainly looked into the possibilities of dredging schemes and vessels that are more fuel efficient. A reduction in the order of 10 to 20% may be within reach, most of it is a win-win since fuel reduction will also reduce costs. A further reduction in CO₂ emission may be possible on a project by project basis but will involve a trade-off between dredging costs and CO₂ emissions.

Marine engineering projects also have an impact on primary production and formation of organic carbon and on sedimentation processes and burial of organic carbon in sediments. Both impacts influence carbon sequestration and can be a substantial or even overriding factor in the carbon footprint of a project. For first estimates of the potential role of these ecosystems related impacts, an attempt was made to quantify them using existing information. Information is scarce and the related processes are complex. Nevertheless, first estimations show the relevancy of an ecosystem based approach.