Remediation and handling of contaminated sediments is an advanced subject, that is of vital importance for the development of harbours, navigation, water management and the environment. Within the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management of the Netherlands a rich experience has been obtained during the past years on this subject. The efforts of the Ministry are implemented in the Netherlands practice by the Head Office, the Specialised Services and the Regional Directorates with full involvement of the private sector. The Specialist Services have brought their activities under the Aquatic Sediment Expert Centre (AKWA), which is specialized in all aspects of contaminated sediments. 

In many countries of both the developed and the developing world, as well as in countries in transition, the issue of polluted aquatic soils is emerging and an increased need is felt to enter into cleaning programmes. For this purposes the know-how as developed in the Netherlands can be very well exposed in a short course. Within the framework of a recently agreed MOU between the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and water Management and UNESCO-IHE, a short course of 4 days was prepared by AKWA in cooperation with UNESCO-IHE, Core Land and Water Development. The course was titled remediation and handling of contaminated sediments, and took place from August 25th until September 1st 2005.

Source: www.akwa.info
See also www.ihe.nl/vmp/articles/Short-Courses/SHO-20051123-16-16-30.html.