Catalonia this year has achieved 23 Blue Flags in marinas and is at the forefront of this classification in the State. This award, recognized internationally, values and rewards environmental management and safety, facilities and the optimal provision of services and environmental information and education carried out by the managers and concessionaires of the awarded ports. A strategic line initiated a few years ago that has the support of the Port Administration and involves very defined actions to mitigate climate change, at a time when Catalonia is in a climate emergency.
Thus, the secretary of Territory and Mobility and president of Ports de la Generalitat, Isidre Gavín, has underlined that these distinctions "are a symbol of the commitment of the nautical world, of the ports, with high-level environmental management and policies, demanding, real and objectifiable". Gavín also stressed that it is a "shared commitment between the public and private sectors." The Blue Flag award is granted by an international court of the FEE (Environmental Education Foundation), with the collaboration of the Association of Environmental and Consumer Education (Adeac), which manages the campaign in the State.
The 2022 Blue Flags event was held at the Marina Badalona hotel in the port of Badalona. In addition to Isidre Gavín, the awards were handed out by the mayor of the host city, Rubén Guijarro, the Councilor for Government, Christian Carneado, and the president of the Association for Environmental and Consumer Education (Adeac), José Palacios.
The Catalan port system launched the greening of ports a few years ago and these Blue Flags are the results. Currently, most of the Catalan ports are certified with ISO 14001 and EMAS, environmental management systems that are linked to an environmental policy and the development of procedures to carry it out. Likewise, the marinas have an environmental code of conduct for their users and an environmental management system for the consumption of energy resources, treatment and collection of waste, safety, among others. Excellent environmental management and service quality that allows them to participate in the Banderes Blaves award.
The applications for the blue flags are prepared voluntarily by the same people in charge of the marinas, and they are sent to the Adeac. Subsequently, the State Jury meets, which includes representatives of the autonomous port administrations of the ports that have presented their candidacy and of the ministries, as well as experts from universities, among others. The applications that pass this phase are sent to the International Jury that decides which ports will obtain the Blava Flag.
This year, the 2022 Blue Flag international jury has distinguished 23 Catalan marinas, one more than the previous year. Thus, of the 103 awarded ports throughout the State, Catalonia has obtained 22% of Banderes Blaves. By demarcation these ports are distributed in: 9 ports in Girona, 8 in Barcelona, 4 in Tarragona and 2 in Terres de l'Ebre.
In this edition, 23 applications have been presented and all have been awarded. The Club Náutico Port d'Aro has presented a new candidacy (it has not been presented since 2019). Likewise, the Port Olímpic and Marina Palamós have not presented candidacies, as they are undergoing renovation works.
The marinas or clubs that have received the 2022 award are the following: CN Arenys de Mar, CN El Balís, Consorci Port Mataró, Port Masnou, Marina Badalona, Port Ginesta, CN Garraf, Port Sitges-Aiguadolç, CN Llançà, CN Port de la Selva, Port Esportiu Roses, CN L'Escala, CN Estartit, CN Aiguablava, CN Costa Brava, CN Port d'Aro, CV Blanes, Port Segur Calafell, CN Salou, CN Cambrils, PD L'Hospitalet de l'Infant , CN L'Ametlla de Mar and CN L'Ampolla.
