Genoa Port Wins Green Recognition

Italian classification society RINA awarded the Port of Genoa Authority a certificate of compliance with international standard ISO 14001 for its Environmental Management System. The commitment of the Genoa port authority to an environmentally sound management system for all port activities began over 10 years ago, when the port of Genoa was one of the first ports to put in place an environmental structure. The achievement of ISO 14001 status recognises the benefits which the management system brings to both the local community and the marine environment.

Partial funding for the required transformation of a typical port authority into a constantly improving and environmentally aware management system was provided by the Region of Liguria and the European Union. "Conservation of the environment for future generations is the moral duty of any enterprise, whether public or private, and the fact that the Port Authority, responsible for coordinating and controlling port operations, felt the need to pursue an environmental policy is a notable example of consistency and commitment for sustainable development," said Ugo Salerno, RINA ceo, at the award ceremony.

"Obtaining a certificate is not the end of the process. The Port Authority has a number of forthcoming commitments for continuous improvement of environmental performance, including the promotion of initiatives among the terminal operators aimed at improving their own environmental management," said Giovanni Novi, chairman of the Port of Genoa Authority.