In 2025, Boskalis executed a dredging project to support the construction of a new LNG terminal at the Port of Sohar, a deep-sea port on the coast of Oman. The work was carried out near an important seawater intake, where water quality was highly sensitive to suspended sediment
To protect the intake, an advanced computer model was developed that predicted the intensity and location of the dredging-induced turbidity plume and helped Boskalis keep the turbidity concentrations within specified limits. These turbidity forecasts informed our daily operational decision-making, ensuring compliance with environmental and stakeholder requirements. Turbidity is a key focus of Boskalis’ Biodiversity Framework, whereby the modelling approach can help us protect marine ecosystems and manage our environmental impact more effectively.
The seawater intake adjacent to the Port of Sohar ensures supplies of cooling, potable, and process water to various industrial operations within the port. Following an initial turbidity assessment and discussions with the local operator, specified turbidity limits were agreed to enable us to effectively manage the impact of the project.
Boskalis’ tailored model took account of several variables throughout the dredging process, including dredging location, soil characteristics, currents, as well as tidal and wind conditions. Operational choices available to our crew to reduce turbidity levels included reducing overflow time, dredging in deeper waters, or working in areas with a lower prevalence of fine materials. Using the model, it was possible to make operational decisions to optimize productivity while also respecting the turbidity limits.
At the start of the dredging process, overflow time was gradually increased to verify the model’s assumptions and build confidence in its forecasts. The model was then refined using data from soil sampling, satellite imagery, and live turbidity measurements. Variations in the predicted weather or settling velocity of the sediment, among several other factors, could lead to differences between the model’s predictions and actual turbidity levels. Daily assessments of forecast reliability were carried out before deciding on appropriate mitigating measures.
Alongside the model, a set of sensors and buoys were used to measure turbidity levels in real-time. The daily forecasts, along with real-time measurements and satellite images of the dredging plume, were then shared with the client and different operating parties within the port.
“This successful implementation of turbidity forecast modelling was central to the development of a proactive adaptive dredging strategy which not only reduced the turbidity-related downtime of the project but also helped us to serve the needs of our different stakeholders in the Port of Sohar,” explained Boskalis Coastal
Engineer Antoon Hendriks.
