The Port of Algeciras has obtained the environmental certificate PERS from ESPO for the sixth consecutive time
The Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA) has revalidated the environmental certificate PERS (Port Environmental Review System) for the sixth consecutive year, the only specific environmental management standard.
The Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA) has revalidated the environmental certificate PERS (Port Environmental Review System) for the sixth consecutive year, the only specific environmental management standard for ports in the European Union. The accreditation, granted by the EcoPorts network and delivered by the European Sea Ports Organization (ESPO), has independent external verification by LRQA Nederland B.V. and is valid for two years, after which it must be renewed by demonstrating continuous improvement in environmental management.
The certificate was delivered to the ESPO Secretary General, Isabelle Ryckbost, and the senior policies advisor and EcoPorts coordinator, Tim Verhoeven, who presented the accreditation to the president of the APBA, Gerardo Landaluce, and the general director of the port authority, José Luis Hormaechea, accompanied by Luis Núñez, Head of Strategy and European Projects at the APBA.
The PERS evaluates environmental governance, risk management, impact control, and continuous improvement of ports. Compliance with the PERS standard from EcoPorts is independently evaluated by LRQA Nederland and the certificate is valid for two years. As a preliminary step to each renewal, the port authority must complete the Self Diagnosis Method (SDM), an extensive evaluation of risks and environmental practices that identifies areas for improvement and verifies the effective implementation of the required standards.
The APBA obtained its first PERS certification in 2015 and has since maintained this accreditation uninterruptedly, which requires demonstrating sustained improvement in environmental management in each renewal cycle. The audit evaluates aspects such as waste management, energy efficiency, atmospheric and marine pollution, and the protection of the natural environment.
In addition to the three main environmental certifications, the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras has other complementary accreditations that configure a comprehensive model of sustainable management. In 2021, the APBA obtained the label "Calculate and Reduce" from the Spanish Office for Climate Change of the Ministry for Ecological Transition, which recognizes the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions after having halved its carbon footprint. This label certifies the calculation and reduction of the carbon footprint for scopes 1 and 2, which include the direct emissions of the organization and those associated with energy consumption.
At the end of 2022, AENOR certified the Green Strategy of the Port of Algeciras in accordance with its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda of the UN, making the APBA the first port authority in the state system to obtain certification for its sustainable development strategy. This Green Strategy, launched in 2021, establishes a transversal framework with up to twelve commitments aligned with the SDGs and serves as a roadmap for the transition of the port to a more sustainable operational model.
The renewal of the PERS certificate occurs at a time when the APBA is developing large-scale decarbonization projects. The Port of Algeciras is working on the deployment of electrical supply to ships at berth (OPS), with an investment of over 92 million euros, in addition to the Green Energy Hub initiative, which encompasses various public and private actions in the Bay of Algeciras to produce, distribute, and use green fuels.
The EcoPorts network constitutes the main port sustainability initiative in Europe, promoted by ESPO. Currently, 88 ports from 26 countries are part of the EcoPorts network, and 27 of them are certified under PERS. Spanish ports represent the national group with the greatest presence within this network, as recognized by the European organization in successive editions of the annual ESPO conference.
