Adi Fadil joined in2Dredging (i2D) in March 2025, bringing extensive experience across coastal engineering, port development, dredging and reclamation.
Before joining i2D, Adi worked on both sides of the dredging industry, beginning his career in engineering consultancy before moving into project delivery with a major dredging contractor. His work on major projects across Indonesia and Singapore gave him valuable insight into both the engineering and practical aspects of dredging and marine infrastructure.
Now more than a year into his role with i2D, we
caught up with Adi to discuss his journey into dredging, the experiences that
have shaped his approach to engineering, and how his site experience influences
his consulting work.
You started your career in coastal engineering before moving into port development and dredging. What first attracted you to this area of engineering?
At
the beginning of my career, not many of my colleagues were going into coastal
engineering, so I thought it would be an interesting and quite specialised
field to explore. My university thesis was also related to coastal engineering
modelling, so continuing in this area after graduation felt like a natural
choice. From there, I gradually became more involved in port development and
dredging projects.
You have worked on major dredging, reclamation and marine infrastructure projects across Indonesia and Singapore. Is there a particular project or experience that has had a lasting influence on how you work?
The Tekong project in Singapore was probably the biggest project I had been involved in and had a strong influence on how I work today. It was a large and fast-paced project involving new methods and pilot works, so we had to deliver information quickly while still being accurate and efficient. It also required a lot of coordination between different teams, contractors, consultants and other stakeholders.
Another
memorable project was the Makassar reclamation project in Indonesia. The
technical side was challenging, but the bigger lesson for me came from dealing
with social and stakeholder issues surrounding the project. It showed me that
successful project delivery is not only about engineering. Understanding the
local environment, communication and stakeholder management can be just as
important.
After working for both a multidisciplinary engineering consultancy and a major dredging contractor, what attracted you to joining a specialist dredging consultancy like in2Dredging?
I thought it would be interesting to bring together the experience I gained from both sides of the industry. I started my career in consultancy and later spent several years working for a dredging contractor, so joining a specialist dredging consultancy gave me an opportunity to apply both perspectives.
I
was also interested in gaining experience in the Australian dredging industry.
The opportunity to move to Australia with my family and continue developing my
career here made the role even more attractive.
How have you been able to apply your previous site and project-execution experience to the consulting work you now undertake at i2D?
My site experience helps me understand the practical reasons behind many of the things we assess during design and planning. For example, during capital dredging in Semarang, Indonesia, we were working mainly with clay, which affected how the dredging operation and overflow could be managed. On the Makassar reclamation project, we also experienced issues with very coarse material causing significant wear and operational problems with the dredging equipment.
Experiences
like these make it easier for me to look at a design or dredging methodology
and think about what might actually happen once the dredger is operating.
Working in Singapore with people from many different backgrounds also taught me
the importance of clear communication and coordination, which is very useful in
consulting work.
What have been some of the most interesting or challenging assignments you have worked on since joining i2D?
One of the most interesting assignments has been the maintenance dredging strategy work in Darwin. It required us to look closely at the dredging requirements, available equipment, production, costs and different ways the work could potentially be carried out.
It was
also a challenging assignment because the work was reviewed in detail and we
needed to be able to clearly explain and support our assumptions. I enjoyed
that process because it pushed me to look deeper into the technical details and
make sure the recommendations were practical as well as technically sound.
You have experienced dredging projects from both the design desk and the construction site. Where do you think the biggest disconnects can occur between dredging engineering design and what is actually achievable in the field?
I think the biggest disconnect often comes from assumptions made during the design stage. On paper, we can assume certain production rates, soil conditions, weather availability or equipment performance, but actual site conditions can be very different.
Things
such as changing ground conditions, vessel limitations, weather, shipping
movements and operational restrictions can significantly affect what a dredger
can achieve. That is why I think it is important to involve people with
practical dredging experience during the planning and design stages.
What do you think separates a technically sound dredging solution from one that will actually work well in practice?
A technically sound solution needs to be based on good engineering, but a practical solution also needs to consider how the work will actually be carried out on site.
The
dredger needs to suit the material and site conditions, the production
assumptions need to be realistic, and there needs to be enough flexibility to
deal with changing conditions. Safety, environmental requirements, navigation,
logistics and the experience of the crew also need to be considered. A good
dredging solution is one that works not only in a calculation or model, but
also in the real operating environment.
Outside of engineering, what do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
Most
of my time outside work is spent with my family. I have three children, so
there is usually plenty going on! I also really enjoy fishing and spending time
outdoors whenever I get the opportunity.
What are you most looking forward to as you continue your career with i2D?
I am looking forward to continuing to develop my technical knowledge and gaining more experience across different types of dredging and marine projects in Australia and internationally.
I also want to keep combining my contractor and site experience with the consulting side of the industry. Hopefully, that allows me to contribute practical ideas to our projects while continuing to learn from the experience within the i2D team.
Adi’s combination of consultancy and contractor experience brings a valuable practical perspective to the i2D team. As he continues to build his experience in Australia, we look forward to seeing him apply this knowledge across an increasingly diverse range of dredging and marine projects.
We’re glad to have Adi as part of the i2D team and look forward to what lies ahead.