Editing Dredging (section)

==Description==
[[File:Excavator dredger in Neeme harbour, Estonia (2023 April).jpg|thumb|Excavator dredger in Neeme harbour, Estonia (April 2023)]]
Dredging is [[Earthworks (engineering)|excavation]] carried out underwater or partially underwater, in shallow waters or [[ocean dredging|ocean waters]]. It keeps waterways and ports navigable, and assists coastal protection, land reclamation and coastal redevelopment, by gathering up bottom [[sediment]]s and transporting it elsewhere. Dredging can be done to recover materials of commercial value; these may be high value minerals or sediments such as sand and gravel that are used by the construction industry.<ref name=rabobank/>

Dredging is a four-part process: loosening the material, bringing the material to the surface (together extraction), transportation and disposal.<ref name="About"/>

The extract can be disposed of locally or transported by barge or in a liquid suspension in pipelines. Disposal can be to infill sites, or the material can be used constructively to replenish eroded sand that has been lost to [[coastal erosion]], or constructively create sea-walls, building land<ref name="About"/> or [[Artificial island|whole new landforms]] such as viable islands in [[coral atoll]]s.<ref name=TianKunHao>{{cite news |title=What is China's 'magic island-making' ship? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-41882081 |access-date=4 July 2018 |work=BBC News |date=6 November 2017}}</ref>