Pilot phase of the Boulogne-sur-Mer – Calais sediment valorisation project

🌊 Full speed into the pilot phase: on site, sediments are now being tested under real-world conditions.

Since 2022, the Région Hauts-de-France and Neo-Eco have been working together on an ambitious project to transform dredged sediments into useful resources for construction.

A very concrete approach, demonstrating that civil engineering and the circular economy can be implemented operationally — even in coastal environments.

A new key milestone on site

This summer, the project reached a decisive stage with the environmental monitoring of an experimental treated aggregate, implemented at pilot scale on the port of Calais (62), for use as a road sub-base.

This step marks the transition from research to real-life experimentation.

🎯 A clear objective: testing under real conditions

The aim of this pilot phase is to assess the behaviour of marine sediments integrated into treated aggregates, particularly under the specific climatic conditions of the coastline.

Over a one-year period, rainwater in contact with the structures will be analysed to verify the absence of environmental risks, and confirm the material’s suitability and safety for road applications.

Two test sections to compare performance

Two pilot sections have been built:

• a reference pilot, based on a conventional formulation;

• an experimental pilot, incorporating marine sediments from the Boulogne-sur-Mer – Calais port area.

This comparison will make it possible to validate the reliability, durability and environmental compatibility of sediment-based materials before considering larger-scale deployment.

A collective project serving the territories

Neo-Eco would like to acknowledge the commitment of all partners involved in this project:the Région Hauts-de-France, IMT Nord Europe, CD2E, Sédilab, as well as Maurane Vermander (Neo-Eco) for operational project management.

The project also benefits from the financial support of the FEDER, which is essential to delivering this innovative pilot.

Because tomorrow, coastal roads may well be built… with coastal sediments ♻️