Coastal Engineering

Coastal engineering plays a crucial role in managing and protecting Egypt’s water resources, especially along the Mediterranean coastline. With rising sea levels driven by climate change, Egypt’s low-lying coastal areas—such as the Nile Delta—face serious threats including saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers, coastal erosion, and the loss of agricultural land. Coastal engineering solutions such as sea walls, breakwaters, beach nourishment, and managed retreat strategies help to mitigate these risks and protect critical water infrastructure. Additionally, these interventions support the sustainability of freshwater resources by preventing salinization and preserving the natural balance of coastal ecosystems. Integrating coastal engineering with national water management plans is vital for adapting to climate impacts and securing Egypt’s water and food security.

The Coastal Research Institute (CoRI) is a specialized research center in Egypt dedicated to the study and protection of the country’s coastal zones. Established in 1972, CoRI operates under the umbrella of the National Water Research Center (NWRC), which is affiliated with the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation.

CoRI has significant experience in coastal engineering, which covers a wide range of aspects, including:

  1. Coastal Protection: Design, study, and monitoring of various hard structures. They have experience in assessing the impact of these structures on shoreline changes, erosion, and accretion patterns.
  2. Hydrodynamic Studies: Analyzing wave climate, current patterns, and sediment transport using field measurements, physical and numerical modeling.
  3. Monitoring of Coastal Structures: Evaluating the performance of existing coastal protection works by comparing actual behavior with predicted outcomes.
  4. Innovative Multi used coastal Protection: CoRI lead the research to identify innovative and multi used coastal protection measures adapt with the future challenges related to the field of coastal engineering.
  5. Nature-Based Solutions: There is also growing emphasis and involvement in nature-based solutions (NBS) for coastal protection in Egypt, and CoRI is likely leading and contributing to this shift.