NMDC Dredging & Marine has inaugurated the region’s first hydraulic physical modelling facility for advanced marine testing in Abu Dhabi.
The Coastal & Hydrodynamic Centre is a boost for the UAE’s infrastructure and engineering capabilities, and supports coastal resilience and marine innovation.
The purpose-built facility enables localised testing, validation and optimisation of complex offshore and coastal structures, potentially reducing project timelines and costs. It will support NMDC D&M’s own projects, as well as clients testing designs for emerging projects and, more broadly, bolsters the UAE’s industrial and innovation agenda.
Advanced hydraulic modelling techniques enable engineers to simulate real marine conditions and evaluate performance before construction.
A scaled-down version of planned critical structure – such as quay walls, breakwaters and revetments – is tested under controlled laboratory conditions with generated waves, tides, currents and water levels emulating project site environments.
NMDC D&M CEO
NMDC D&M chief executive Niels de Bruijn said the new site supported the nation’s Make it in the Emirates mission by offering a facility previously only available overseas, so reducing the UAE’s reliance on international laboratories.
Located in Mussaffah, it also provides testing and data to support heavy reclamation, artificial island construction, capital/maintenance dredging, and offshore civil works.
“Physical modelling is critical to understanding and managing the risks associated with marine and coastal infrastructure,” Mr de Bruijn told The National. “But the majority of facilities that we used before are in Europe – now you can do it just next to our base, so it saves a lot of travelling and time, and that’s much more efficient.
“The vision of Make it in the Emirates is to do as much as possible in the Emirates, in-house, with a view to innovation, and also working together.”
Having observed how structures respond to different marine conditions, engineers apply their findings to predict real-world performance, thereby supporting more informed engineering decisions for often high-value marine infrastructure.
Benefits include reducing the risk of costly design changes during or post-construction, optimising project costs, providing easy-to-understand visual evidence for clients, authorities and stakeholders, and strengthening design approval processes.
The Abu Dhabi centre includes advanced testing infrastructure designed for both two-dimensional and three-dimensional hydraulic modelling applications.
Mr de Bruijn said the facility distinguished NMDC D&M, a subsidiary of the NMDC Group, from its competition.
“We’re the only contractor that has our own lab, so we can offer the client a total solution. It gives us the possibility to do the complete package," he added. “We can do the design, do the testing and eventually, of course, the construction, the building of the breakwater or any other offshore structure. Many clients appreciate having all these capabilities in one hand … a one-stop shop.”
He revealed the facility was already fully booked for the next month. It is currently set-up to model a project in Salalah. “You can invite your clients to witness the testing in real-time, and it’s a lot easier to invite them to Abu Dhabi from Oman than to bring them to France, UK or the Netherlands," he said.
The centre has several applications for civil and industrial projects, including in the energy sector. “The UAE – and especially Abu Dhabi – is expanding rapidly, building new islands, port expansions … all these kind of things can be tested,” Mr de Bruijn said.
“With the relatively large developments in the UAE, this is vital. We can also react much more quickly if it’s all in-house. We can prioritise, as we like.
“I see a lot of possibilities for our own projects, but also for external parties that can make use of this facility. It’s a big win situation.”
NMDC D&M said its facility also supported the development and testing of offshore renewable energy systems, including wave, tidal and floating wind technology. It can enable advanced research and consultancy, and support collaboration with international partners and academic institutions.
Andres Navarro, head of engineering at NMDC D&M, said it allowed the company to “de-risk the profile” of a structure. “In a facility like this, we validate the design, we can optimise it and basically we can give a more efficient project design to our clients that ultimately will result for them in less cost, less time and a better execution,” he said.
“Coastal resilience is super important … when you take a design, you scale it down, you make a model and you test it. You know it’s going to work.”
Dr Yasser Zaghloul, chief executive of NMDC Group, described the launch of the “pioneering facility” as a strategic milestone in the company’s commitment to building “long-term, sovereign capabilities within the UAE by institutionalising advanced engineering expertise and cutting-edge testing methodologies”.
He added: “Ultimately, this centre is a tangible realisation of the Make it in the Emirates vision, further cementing the UAE’s position as a premier global hub for manufacturing, innovation and engineering excellence."
This page was produced by The National in partnership with NMDC
