Statement Issued On Behalf of Teesworks

Civil engineering firm Graham has today begun dredging work in the river Tees on behalf of the South Tees Development Corporation (STDC). This represents the first dredging ever undertaken by STDC or a partner organisation in the river, with any work up to this point carried out by PD Ports as the statutory authority.

Approximately 125,000 cubic metres of material recovered from this dredge will be removed from the river and disposed of safely on land, in line with best practice and our Marine Management Organisation licence. Not a single gram of dredged material will be disposed of in the river or out to sea. This phase of work is expected to take around eight weeks.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “As dredging work for the South Bank Quay begins, we will be holding ourselves to the highest standards in everything we and our partners do, far exceeding the baseline legal requirements. All of the material recovered from this dredge will be disposed of safely on land. Let me be clear, not a single gram of dredged material will be disposed of in the river or out to sea. Everything is being removed from the river and disposed of on land.”