North Sea Port renews European environmental certificate at ESPO Conference
More important than the certificate itself is the commitment to improving the environment and climate. As a port authority, North Sea Port attaches great importance to circularity and sustainability within our own operations. This complements the many efforts made by companies and other stakeholders in the port area, working with us to green their activities, give more space to nature, and achieve the climate and energy transition. The certificate confirms our active commitment to these challenges throughout the entire port area, crossing the Dutch-Flemish border.
North Sea Port has been a member of EcoPorts since 2020 and has now received the PERS certificate for the third time, on May 8 at ESPO Conference in Thessaloniki. We are pleased that ESPO (European Sea Ports Organisation) has congratulated North Sea Port on this recertification under the EcoPorts environmental management standard (PERS).
Isabelle Ryckbost, ESPO Secretary General, commented: “I would like to congratulate North Sea Port with its PERS recertification. North Sea Port is setting the bar high when it comes to environmental sustainability, marking it a guiding principle throughout its operations and strategy. We are happy to count this unique cross-border port among our PERS- certified ports.”
Tim Verhoeven, ESPO Senior Policy Advisor and EcoPorts Coordinator, said: “North Sea Port is recognised for its continuous efforts to enhance the port's environmental performance, showcasing leadership in sustainability collaboration across two countries (Netherlands and Belgium).”
Port-specific environmental standard
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 88 ports from 26 countries currently counting themselves as part of the EcoPorts Network, and 27 ports holding PERS certification. Compliance with the EcoPorts’ PERS standard is independently assessed by LRQA Nederland B.V. and the certificate has a validity of two years. EcoPorts’ PERS is revised after the 2-year period, ensuring ports continuously meet the requirements
For more information on EcoPorts’ PERS, visit the EcoPorts website
Picture (ESPO): Ansis Zeltinš, voorzitter van ESPO; Isabelle Ryckbost, secretaris-generaal; Isabelle Van Vooren, Head Corporate Affairs bij North Sea Port; Tim Verhoeven, Senior Beleidsadviseur Duurzame Ontwikkeling, EcoPorts-coördinator
