Baleària is the first Spanish shipping company to receive the Green Marine Europe environmental certification

Baleària is the first Spanish shipping company to receive the Green Marine Europe certification, an environmental seal of approval that recognises the commitment of shipping companies to eco-efficiency and caring for the planet. By joining this voluntary initiative of the maritime industry, aimed at improving the environmental performance of maritime transport beyond regulatory requirements, Baleària reaffirms its leadership in sustainability.

The shipping company has joined forces with this initiative, which focuses on key environmental issues related to air, water and soil quality. This accreditation is a reference tool for monitoring and improving maritime companies’ commitment to decarbonisation.

Alejandro Pastor, Manager of Fleet Control Tower of Baleària, collects the Green Marine certification.

“This certification is a great honour for Baleària, a 25-year history company in the maritime transport of passengers, vehicles and goods. We are a leading shipping company worldwide in terms of sustainability thanks to our pioneering commitment to eco-efficient mobility, driven by the use of more environmentally friendly energies, such as natural gas. For us, joining Green Marine Europe is an extension of our commitment to decarbonization and the fight against climate change,” says Rafael Rolo, corporate director of fleet operations at Baleària.

“The participation of Baleària in Green Marine Europe certification is a strong signal of the European dimension of our program, as it is the first Spanish shipowner to join us. Baleària is a major player in passenger and freight transport. It is part of the collective imagination, in Europe and beyond.”, remarks Antidia Citores, Project Manager, Green Marine Europe.

To receive Green Marine Europe certification, Baleària has undergone an audit and a self-assessment to certify compliance with a series of scales related to greenhouse gas emissions, atmospheric pollutant emissions, underwater noise, invasive aquatic species, and the management of ship recycling.

In this regard, it should be remembered that Baleària is one of the leading shipping companies in terms of the decarbonisation of maritime activity thanks to its pioneering commitment to natural gas, a fuel it considers to be the cleanest and most mature currently available for sea-going transport. The company has invested more than 500 million in recent years in a next-generation fleet of 10 dual-engine ships, a versatile technology that will enable it to stop emitting around 80,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere between 1 June and the end of the year.

Besides, last May, Baleària also launched the Cap de Barbaria, the first electric ferry in Spain with zero emissions in port stays and approaches. The shipping company is also involved in projects and studies related to the use of future energies including biomethane and green hydrogen.

This Green Marine Europe certification comes in addition to other initiatives and certificates already held by Baleària as a shipping company committed to decarbonisation and environmental protection. These include participation in the last two editions of the Climate Change Summit (COP), ISO 14001 (environment) and 50001 (energy efficiency) certifications, the Lean & Green Europe certificate, the carbon footprint registration seal, compensation and CO2 absorption projects from the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment, and inclusion in the Biodiversity Pact, among other things.
Source: Baleària