Eleven ports receive PERS certificate

The EcoPorts’ environmental management standard certificates to the ports’ representatives were handed over during the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) Conference in Paris.

ESPO congratulates the Port of Algeciras (Spain), the Port of Barcelona (Spain), the Port of Klaipeda (Lithuania), the Ports of Niedersachsen (Germany), the Ports of Tenerife (Spain), the Port of Sevilla (Spain), the Port of Igoumenitsa (Greece), the Port of Waterford (Ireland), the Port of Dover (United Kingdom), the Port of Pori (Finland), and the Port of Vigo (Spain) for being certified through the PERS.

Isabelle Ryckbost, ESPO Secretary General, Zeno D’Agostino, ESPO Chair, and Anaëlle Boudry, EcoPorts Coordinator handed over the PERS certificates.

Isabelle Ryckbost commented: “Once again, we see that assessing your environmental performance is not something for only one kind of port, but that small, big, northern, southern, eastern, and western ports in Europe increasingly go for environmental certification”.

Anaëlle Boudry, ESPO Senior Policy Advisor and EcoPorts Coordinator said: “I would like to congratulate all the PERS-certified ports on their achievement. Re-certification requires the port to show improved environmental management. Some are receiving the certificate for the sixth time already. It should be noted that the ports of Waterford, Klaipeda and Tenerife are getting PERS-certified for the first time. Many of the PERS-certified ports today are long-time members of the EcoPorts network and have made sustainability a core part of their mission. We look forward to working with all these ports in their continued efforts to engage in excellent environmental management”.

PERS (Port Environmental Review System) is the only port-specific environmental standard.

The last five years have seen important increases in its recognition and membership, with 90 ports from 27 countries currently counting themselves as part of the EcoPorts Network, and 33 ports holding PERS certification.

LRQA Nederland B.V. independently assesses compliance with the EcoPorts’ PERS standard and the certificate has a validity of two years. EcoPorts’ PERS is revised after 2 years to make sure that the port continues to meet the requirements.