ESPO is delighted to congratulate the Port of Vigo for achieving PERS certification. The Port of Vigo, which joined the EcoPorts network in 2013, is achieving PERS certification for the third time already. ESPO praises the port company with its commitment to tackle environmental challenges.

The certificate was handed over during a special ceremony, which was organised during the Green Energy Ports Conference in Vigo.

“We congratulate the Port of Vigo for obtaining its third PERS certificate during the 20th anniversary of the EcoPorts. We are celebrating 20 years of EcoPorts with the aim of further strengthening the network and of assisting more European ports to protect the environment, improve public health and address the challenges of climate change”, said Sotiris Raptis, EcoPorts coordinator and senior advisor of ESPO.

“With its blue growth strategy the Port of Vigo is really reinventing itself. Starting from its core business, as manager of the land, it looks at ways of reorganising the port land in the most sustainable and inclusive way reaching out to very different stakeholders and sectors. Having the Port of Vigo as an active member of the EcoPorts network offers a unique opportunity to share the good practices and ideas developed in the plan with other ports”, said Isabelle Ryckbost, Secretary General of ESPO.

PERS is the only port sector specific environmental management standard. It is the flagship product of the EcoPorts network and is offered as part of the ESPO services to its members through the EcoPorts website. Compliance with the PERS standard is independently assessed by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance and the certificate has a validity of 2 years. There are currently 26 ports in Europe and its neighbouring countries certified by PERS. ESPO encourages all ports within its membership to join the EcoPorts network and apply for PERS certification.