The Port of Gibraltar joins the Green Award scheme
The Port of Gibraltar announced its participation in the Green Award scheme at an official ceremony on the 27th of March 2013. The Port will award sustainable ships certified by Green Award with a 5% reduction in tonnage dues starting the 1st of April, said in the press release.
In keeping with their mission to ensure navigational safety and pollution control, the Port of Gibraltar have decided to provide a 5% reduction in tonnage dues for all Green Award certified vessels entering BGTW (British Gibraltar Territorial Waters) and calling at the Gibraltar Port.
Green Award’s managing director Mr. Jan Fransen presented a Green Award board to Minister Neil Costa, officially making Gibraltar a Green Award port. The ceremony was hosted by the Port Authority and among guests was Minister for Health and Environment Dr John Cortes.
In his speech Mr. Fransen said: “The Port of Gibraltar’s view fits very well with the Green Award’s Philosophy. When such a major bunker port as Gibraltar practices its Corporate Social Responsibility through participating in the Green Award scheme, it does make a difference and motivates safe and environmentally conscious shipping.”
The Port of Gibraltar is the second port this year that offers new incentives to sea-going vessels holding the Green Award certificate. This makes the total number of Green Award ports 31. With the port of Gibraltar being a major bunker port and the gateway to the Mediterranean, the port’s decision to grant incentives to ships the highest safety standards of which are confirmed by the Green Award certificate, motivates more ships owners to invest in improvement onboard.
Commenting on the award, the Minister for Tourism, Commercial Affairs, Public Transport & the Port the Hon Neil Costa said: "This award is an important landmark and demonstrates Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar's commitment to the protection of the environment and to the improvement in the quality of shipping visiting the Port, both of which are interconnected."
The Green Award foundation was established in 1994. Green Award is a global, independent, not-for-profit quality assurance organisation that works by certifying ship managers and vessels that go beyond the industry standards in terms of safety, quality and environmental performance. The Green Award certification scheme is open to oil and chemical tankers, bulk carriers, LNG carrying vessels and inland navigation barges.
Ships holding a Green Award certificate are offered various incentives such as discounts on port dues, maritime products and training courses and reimbursement of certification costs by a few banks. By rewarding high safety and environmental standards in shipping, Green Award makes above standard ship operation economically more attractive. Currently there are 225 sea-going ships and 440 inland barges certified. Nineteen maritime service providers and banks and 31 ports provide incentives to ships with a Green Award certificate.
For centuries, the Port of Gibraltar has tapped into the opportunities offered by its proximity to one of the busiest maritime thoroughfares in the world, the Strait of Gibraltar.
From its strategic vantage point on this key choke point for global trade, the Rock has established a solid reputation as an important staging post for the international shipping community.
Over 70,000 ships sail through the Strait of Gibraltar every year and a sufficient number stop here and make use of Gibraltar’s services.
Local companies are involved in a wide range of activities, providing reliable, quality services to international ship owners and building on a rich heritage that goes back thousands of years.