The Scheldt Estuary is internationally known for its nature and as an important commercial shipping route. Obtaining accurate data on the basic biological, chemical and physical processes in intertidal sediments is expensive and difficult: the accessibility to the site is limited, and estuaries are characterized by a wide spatial heterogeneity. Remote sensing methods can produce detailed information on intertidal sediments in a cost-effective manner. Hyperspectral HyMap imagery is combined with intensive ground truthing to quantify the most important biological and physical parameters. To achieve these goals a consortium consisting of five research institutes with complementary skills in remote sensing, marine (and coastal zone) ecology and sediment mechanics, joined forces in the TIDESED project.