Dredging and Port Works Course
Online 300-hour course in dredging and port works. 6 modules covering ROM 0.0-01, ROM 2.0-11 and HYPACK. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Dredging and Port Works Course — studying from the United Kingdom
Naval and offshore engineering is a significant sector in the United Kingdom, with shipbuilding and naval programmes on the Clyde, in Portsmouth, Barrow-in-Furness and Rosyth, and offshore energy activity in Aberdeen and the North Sea. Companies such as BAE Systems Maritime, Babcock and offshore service providers employ engineers in design, construction and maintenance. Sports nautical engineering, including yacht design and marine leisure, is concentrated in the Solent and South Coast. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency regulates shipping safety, and the Royal Institution of Naval Architects supports professional standards.
Fees for the United Kingdom: £537 (Pound sterling), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United Kingdom
Typical roles
Questions from the United Kingdom
Which UK bodies relate to naval and marine engineering, and does SEIUM training count towards them?
Key UK bodies include the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Maritime qualifications are often regulated through the Maritime and Coastguard Agency for certificates of competency. SEIUM's private qualifications are not accredited by these bodies, so any recognition would be decided by them separately.
Will UK offshore, naval or marine employers value a private online engineering qualification?
Employers in these sectors often prioritise certified competencies, sea-going experience and regulatory certificates. A private qualification may support your application where it shows relevant technical depth, but it does not replace statutory requirements. Acceptance is for each employer to decide, so consider how the qualification complements your existing certifications.
Can I study this online from the UK alongside offshore rotations, and is language support available?
Online study can be flexible, but rotation patterns make scheduling important, so plan around your time at sea or on site. Programmes are taught entirely in English, and each learner is assigned a technical tutor. No visa is required to study from within the UK. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Distinguish the typologies of breakwater and berthing works and their constraints.
Select the appropriate dredging equipment and estimate its productivity.
Manage dredged material in compliance with environmental regulations.
Describe the construction processes for breakwaters and quays.
Apply the ROM recommendations to port projects.
Plan and control a marine works project within weather windows.
Develop the preliminary design of a port intervention involving dredging.
Who it's for
- Marine works engineer looking to specialise in Dredging and port works.
- Port works site manager looking to specialise in Dredging and port works.
- Dredging technician looking to specialise in Dredging and port works.
- Hydrographer looking to specialise in Dredging and port works.
- Environmental technician for coastal works looking to specialise in Dredging and port works.
- Port project engineer looking to specialise in Dredging and port works.
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to join port authorities.
What you'll work with
- ROM 0.0-01
- ROM 2.0-11
- ROM 1.0-09
- Guidelines for the characterisation of dredged material and its relocation (CIEM, 2021)
- London Convention 1972 and 1996 Protocol
- Law 41/2010 on the protection of the marine environment
- Law 21/2013 on environmental assessment
- UNE-EN 206:2013+A2:2021
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Sloping and Vertical Breakwaters1.2Caisson Gravity Quays1.3Piled and Sheet Pile Quays1.4Pontoons and floating structures1.5Fills and platforms1.6Channels and Maritime Approaches1.7Geotechnical Constraints of the Site1.8Design Wave Climate1.9ROM Recommendations of State Ports1.10Case Study: Choosing the Typology of a Quay
2.1Trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHD)2.2Cutter suction dredgers (CSD)2.3Mechanical bucket and backhoe dredgers2.4Productivity and work cycles2.5Pipeline transport and barges2.6Rock dredging and prior fragmentation2.7Multibeam bathymetry and level control2.8Overdredging and tolerances2.9Maintenance dredging2.10Practice: calculating the productivity of a TSHD
3.1Sediment characterisation3.2Spanish guidelines on characterisation and relocation3.3Sea disposal and the London Convention3.4Reuse in fills and beach regeneration3.5Containment of contaminated sediments3.6Turbidity monitoring3.7Impact on seagrass meadows3.8Environmental impact assessment3.9Environmental monitoring plan3.10Case study: sediment management plan for a dock basin
4.1Caisson fabrication and sinking4.2Placement of rockfill and armour layers4.3Concrete blocks and special units4.4Driving piles and sheet piles4.5Concrete in marine environments4.6Ground improvement and preloading4.7Auxiliary marine plant4.8Topographic and bathymetric control4.9Safety in marine works4.10Workshop: construction process of a caisson quay
5.1Preliminary studies and preliminary design5.2Technical specifications5.3Measurement and payment for dredging5.4Planning of marine works5.5Weather windows for work5.6Quality control and testing5.7Claims management5.8Conservation and maintenance5.9Reference costs5.10Case study: planning a quay extension
6.1Site definition6.2Wave climate and geotechnical data6.3Selection of the structural solution6.4Dredging plan6.5Environmental management of material6.6Construction process and marine plant6.7Budget and schedule6.8Safety and monitoring plan6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is HYPACK, Qinsy, Delft3D, AutoCAD Civil 3D, PLAXIS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. The exercises are based on real procedures for planning maintenance dredging campaigns, bathymetric control of dredging levels and characterisation of sediments for relocation. Assessment is continuous across each module, plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Distinguish the typologies of breakwater and berthing works and their constraints.
Select the appropriate dredging equipment and estimate its productivity.
Manage dredged material in compliance with environmental regulations.
Describe the construction processes for breakwaters and quays.
Apply the ROM recommendations to port projects.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical standards documentation.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme comprises 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
The programme works with HYPACK, Qinsy, Delft3D, AutoCAD Civil 3D, PLAXIS. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised towards the higher-level programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
Related programmes
Course in Regulation of Cruise Ships and Passenger Transport
Online 300-hour course in regulation of cruise ships and passenger transport. 6 modules covering the SOLAS Convention, chapters II-1, II-2 and III, Directive 2009/45/EC on safety…
Ammonia and Onboard Safety Course
Online 300-hour course in ammonia and onboard safety. 6 modules covering IMO MSC.1/Circ.1687 Interim guidelines for the safety of ships using ammonia as fuel, IGF Code…
Marine Batteries and ESS (Energy Storage Systems) Course
Online 300-hour course in marine batteries and ESS (Energy Storage Systems). 6 modules covering IEC 62619 Safety requirements for lithium batteries for industrial use, IEC 62620…
More in Naval, Offshore & Sports Nautical
All Naval, Offshore & Sports Nautical programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships