Jamaica has indicated that it is interested in the Sand Motor, an innovative method of coast protection and maintenance.
The beach near the holiday resort of Negril is being affected by erosion. The government has proposed a ‘hard solution’ to tackle the erosion: two large breakwaters measuring 800-1000 meters. But the resort and the local community are in favor of a natural solution.
They recently asked Arjen Luijendijk of Deltares and two other post-doctorate researchers from the Nature Coast research program to come to Jamaica.
The team of three talked to hotel owners, the press, the local inhabitants and the lifeguard service about the Dutch sand replenishment strategy and the Sand Motor.