Ecocoast’s Ned Stevanovic: Protecting The Middle East’s Marine Environment For The Future

Q: Please tell us more about your background and how you got passionate about sustainability. How did you get involved with Ecocoast and help to protect marine & coastal life during development?

A: I’ve been with Ecocoast for about two years now, but to be completely honest, it wasn’t the purpose that attracted me to join in the first place. It was the opportunity and potential of the business and what it could achieve. Now it’s become something that I am immeaely proud of.

Q: What is Ecocoast’s vision & philosophy towards protecting the marine environment?

A: Ecocoast was founded to prevent damage and pollution to our coastlines and waterways, and over the last decade, we, as well as our subsidiary Bolina, have developed a range of engineered products that have been demonstrated to protect marine environments, assets, and critical infrastructure.

Q: Please tell us about some of the key projects. Also, please tell us about key projects that you have worked on that showcase Ecocoast’s sustainability, innovation, and environment-forward services?

A: Last year, for example, we collaborated with local authorities and contractors to ensure that the construction of a new hydropower dam in the Hajar mountains, in the UAE, did not affect the water around which the dam was being built. Ecocoast installed its Ecobarrier silt curtaia and oil booms, in order to address the major project-specific risks, and successfully managed to protect the quality of the reservoir’s water. 

Similarly, in 2016, Ecocoast implemented a 700m silt curtain in the waters surrounding the Louvre Abu Dhabi, so as to prevent large amounts of sediment from leaking into the water during the construction project and adversely affecting the water’s quality.

Q: You were among the first in the industry to deliver projects protecting blue carbon ecosystems. Could you tell us more about blue carbon ecosystems in the Middle East particularly in the GCC and some of your key projects?

A: Over the past few decades, there has been a growing interest in exploring innovative ways to minimize the environmental footprint of coastal developments and marine disasters for blue carbon ecosystem protection. 

Given that there were on average 1.8 large oil spills from tanker incidents every year in the decade from 2010 to 2019, countries whose coastlines are currently laid vulnerable to oil spills become ecological disaster target zones. Areas that have been impacted most recently are the Israeli and Lebanese shorelines this year, and the Mauritian coastline last year. 

Looking at the significant impact blue carbon ecosystems have on climate change, they need to be protected against oil spills and debris. Oil booms are systems primarily used to contain oil spills and debris, to prevent damage to the blue carbon ecosystems. Placing oil booms in key positions around beaches and reserves can prevent environmental damage caused by oil spills.

The effectiveness of oil booms 

Oil booms are primarily used to protect blue carbon shoreline areas from the damage caused by oil discharge. They can be implemented in ports, harbors, pipeline and intake projects, marinas, waterways, and offshore as well, to protect them from oil spills. In addition, they also serve to protect marine areas from unwanted debris.

Following a spate of oil spills off the UAE coast, Ecocoast was required to install an inflatable oil boom. These oil spills affected a wide range of people – not only those living along the coast, such as fishing communities but also hoteliers, diving centers, blue carbon nature reserves, and mangrove swamps.

Following the deployment of the inflatable oil boom, we were recently tasked with manufacturing and installing an Ecobarrier Harbour Boom in a fishing village harbor. The Ecobarrier Harbour Boom is a heavy-duty, durable oil boom that has been designed to stay in the water for years, with minimum maintenance. constructed of high tensile material, the boom's typical installation includes intakes, ports, and harbors. 

With its installation, we plan to keep the precious mangrove ecosystem in the UAE safe, secure, and protected from any future man-made disasters, for years to come.

Q: Over the last decade, marine and coastal development project owners & managers, as well as business leaders, have become more aware of the need for sustainable development especially after the pandemic. Has there been a bigger seAe of acceptance since we have come out of lockdown?

A: Yes. Last year, Ecocoast grew its offering further with the acquisition of Bolina, the European leader in marine safety, security, and environment booms for inland waterways, ports, dams, and critical infrastructure. 

Combining decades of experience, the acquisition enables us to offer an unmatched range of products within the environmental protection, demarcation, navigation, safety, and security sectors. 

Despite the hurdles of 2020, the first half of 2021 ended with group revenues up by 34 percent compared to the same period the previous year. 

Q: In terms of sustainability, what positive change would you like to see over the next decade? And what goals/aspirations does Ecocoast have for the business over the same decade?  

A: Working together, and pooling expertise will allow us to bring about meaningful change to the industry and, in doing so, support the realization of our collective goals. 

We here at Ecocoast and Bolina are industry leaders in providing companies with the insights and the tools required to allow them to fulfill their development commitments in a way that minimizes their impact on the local environment and ensures a more sustainable future for the people that they serve.

Q: Tell us about your favorite city and book or movie of all time and why?

A: My favorite movie is Whiplash. Great story about how far you are willing to push yourself to succeed. I am a strong believer in constant improvements, therefore the quote from the movie "There are no two words in the English language more harmful than - good job" makes a lot of sense to me

My favorite city is Prague because it is a magical city of bridges and cathedrals. 

Click here to connect with Ned Stevanovic on Linkedin