Antwerp will welcome around 300 international dredging professionals, researchers, technical experts and sector leaders next week as CEDA Dredging Days 2026 takes place in the city from 11 to 13 May at A Room with a ZOO.
The flagship conference of the Central Dredging Association, CEDA Dredging Days brings together the international dredging community to share knowledge, discuss challenges and explore solutions for the future of ports, waterways, infrastructure and the wider maritime environment.
Its arrival in Antwerp reflects the city’s growing reputation as a destination where international association events can connect directly with sector expertise, innovation and real-world industry relevance.
Home to the second-largest port in Europe and one of the continent’s most important logistics and chemical clusters, Antwerp has long been shaped by water, trade and global connection. Today, the city is also a centre for sustainable chemistry, digital innovation, logistics and the Blue Economy, where industry, academia, government and entrepreneurs work together to develop smarter, cleaner and more resilient solutions.
The River Scheldt has played a defining role in Antwerp’s story for centuries, connecting people, goods and ideas. For CEDA delegates, the city offers more than a strong meetings infrastructure, it provides direct access to a living ecosystem where maritime activity, port development, sustainability and innovation meet.
Mieke van Loenen, General Manager of CEDA, comments: “Antwerp was a natural choice for CEDA Dredging Days 2026. The city sits at the heart of Europe’s dredging community, offers excellent accessibility and provides a distinctive venue in a destination that delivers strong value for delegates and organisers alike. It is also a place where many of the themes at the centre of our conference, from port development to sustainable infrastructure, can be seen and understood first-hand.”
That connection between programme and place will be particularly evident throughout the event. On Monday, 11 May, delegates will take part in a site visit to Port of Antwerp-Bruges, offering insight into one of Europe’s most significant maritime gateways. Later the same day, Johan Klaps, Vice Mayor for the Port and Economy of the City of Antwerp and President of the Board of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, will contribute to a session on major construction works in and around Antwerp, exploring the impact of large infrastructure projects on quality of life and decision-making.
The programme will also return to Antwerp’s major infrastructure story on Wednesday, with a dedicated session on the Oosterweel project, taking delegates behind the scenes of one of the city’s most important mobility and infrastructure developments, including work linked to the new Scheldt tunnel.
Tadeja Pivc Coudyser, Head of Antwerp Convention Bureau, comments: “We are looking forward at welcoming CEDA Dredging Days 2026 to Antwerp. This is exactly the kind of international association event that feels truly connected to our city, not only because of Antwerp’s maritime heritage, but because of the innovation, expertise and collaboration taking place here today.
“Antwerp’s story has always been shaped by water, trade and openness to the world. The conversations taking place at CEDA Dredging Days are directly relevant to the future of ports, waterways, sustainability and global resilience, so we are proud to offer delegates a setting where those discussions can be inspired by the city around them.”
CEDA Dredging Days 2026 will also make use of one of Antwerp’s most distinctive venues, A Room with a ZOO, a historic conference location connected to Antwerp ZOO and located in the heart of the city. The 2026 conference theme, “It’s a Zoo out there!”, creates a fitting link between the venue, global developments and the challenges and opportunities facing the dredging industry.
Tadeja adds: “One of Antwerp’s strengths is that conferences here are never isolated from the destination. Delegates can meet in a world-class venue, step straight into the city, and see the connections between heritage, infrastructure, knowledge and innovation. We look forward to giving CEDA and its delegates a warm Antwerp welcome.”
