Coastal Management Section

The coastal zone of Dubai constitutes a valuable and vulnerable resource that requires an integrated and co-ordinated management approach. Disregarding or misjudging the natural coastal processes of tides, waves, currents and sand movement invariably leads to problems such as beach erosion, poor water quality and sedimentation in harbour and creek/lagoon areas. Such problems can further lead to degradation, undermining and even collapse of coastal structures. 

The Dubai Municipality realized that a dedicated unit was required to address coastal management within Dubai Emirate and therefore established the Marine Works Unit within the General Projects Department in 1996. Initially this unit was primarily engaged in operational project management activities. As the only entity within Dubai Municipality with the requisite expertise in coastal and marine processes it was recognized that a larger project management and technical review role should be performed. It was also recognized that the additional strategic functions of establishing appropriate development guidelines and legislation and building up a sustainable resource base within the Municipality was required.  In order to accomplish this, the Marine Works Unit was transformed into the Coastal Management Section in May 2004.   The section personnel have high levels of expertise, consisting of professional coastal and liaison engineers and proficient support staff. 

The Coastal Management Section has both an operational and a strategic function within the Municipality. The operational function relates mainly to the management and technical review of coastal and marine engineering projects being conducted under the authority of Dubai Municipality. This extends to the monitoring and maintenance of past and ongoing projects.

On a strategic level the Coastal Management Section has a primary responsibility to ensure sufficient expertise and knowledge (i.e. data), and analysis (i.e. modelling) resources are available within the Municipality. This would include the formulation and supervision of an ongoing comprehensive Coastal Zone Monitoring Programme and any necessary coastal development design studies. A further responsibility of the Coastal Management Section relates to the drawing up of coastal development guidelines for incorporation in codes of practice and eventual passage to legislation.

To ensure these responsibilities are met, two Units were established within the section, namely the Marine Works Unit and the Coastal Monitoring and Design Unit.

The mission of the Coastal Management Section is:

The Coastal Management Section oversees the sustainable development and utilization of the Dubai coastal and marine environment through the formulation and implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) principles and procedures within the scope of responsibilities of Dubai Municipality.