On 6 November, ESPO won the GREEN4SEA – EUROPORT Initiative Award, for EcoPorts’ environmental standard, the Port Environmental Review System (PERS). EcoPorts’ PERS being the only port sector-specific environmental standard available, has become well recognised and preferred by the sector. ESPO Environmental Report 2019 found that 71% of ports were certified with an Environmental Management System, almost one third of them being certified with EcoPorts’ PERS (26.9%).
The Award was handed over at a ceremony, on the sidelines of EUROPORT, an international exhibition that took place in Rotterdam, November 5-8, 2019. Other shortlisted nominees for the category Initiative Award were BEMA, Green Award, IHMA, Maritime LNG platform and SEA20.
The GREEN4SEA –EUROPORT Awards focused on four specific themes: digital shipping, environmental protection, safety at sea and maritime careers. The winners were chosen through a three-month online voting.
EcoPorts has become the main environmental initiative of the European port sector. The aim of EcoPorts is to increase awareness about environmental challenges, deliver compliance with regulation and to demonstrate a high standard of environmental management.
Being PERS certified requires among others that the port enhances communication with the local community and increases transparency by making its environmental report publicly available. It also implies that the port is effectively monitoring the environmental challenges and is implementing an improved environmental management. Compliance with the EcoPorts’ PERS standard is independently assessed by Lloyd’s Register and the certificate has a validity of two years. EcoPorts’ PERS is revised after the 2-year period to make sure that the port continues to meet the requirements.
You can find more information on EcoPorts’ PERS here and on the ESPO Environmental Report here. You can find more information about the Awards here.
Source: ESPO website