ABSTRACT
Active Nautical Depth (AND) shows promising results, representing a far more sustainable method for sediment management and the bioremediation of degradation of tributyltin contaminated sediment in ports and harbours. AND is a step further, where a navigable fluid mud is created in situ by mixing and aerating the sediment, thus increasing the nautical depth. This process of sediment conditioning manipulates not only the physical conditions but also the biological and chemical environment. With AND the issues concerning the transport and disposal of sediment or the procurement of a dredging licence disappear, resulting in a smaller environmental impact, a facilitation of the procedures and a consequent decrease of the cost for sediment management. During Passive Nautical Depth, the depth should be defined by the parameters that permit discrimination between solid bed and fluid mud.
