Klaipėda Port with the PERS certificate joins the club of the most environmentally friendly ports

Klaipėda Port is the first port in the Baltic States and one of the 35 ports in Europe to be certified under the Port Environmental Review System (PERS). Today, at the annual event of the European Sea Ports Organisation in Paris, a certificate confirming that Klaipėda Port can be called an environmentally friendly port was officially awarded.

“An environmentally and human-friendly port: from vision to action. That’s what I would call our sustainability journey of recent years. In 2020, we ignited the conversation about creating a green port, encouraging companies operating within the port to join us. Today, we are not only spearheading compelling and innovative projects in digitalization, environmental initiatives, and energy transformation, but also witnessing investments from the port’s stevedoring companies towards implementing emission reduction projects. The award of this certificate to the Klaipėda Port is both further proof that we are taking firm steps on our sustainability journey. Now we have to work to keep it, because this document is not just a nice piece of paper”, says Algis Latakas, Director General of the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority.

The implementation of the port environmental review system started in 2023, with the setting of objectives, targets and environmental performance indicators, an assessment of compliance with legal requirements, and a performance improvement plan. The set indicators will now become the benchmark against which the port’s progress in reducing the environmental impact of its operations and achieving climate neutrality will be measured in two years’ time.

“The PERS certificate commits us to long-term sustainable development and to playing an active role in reducing our environmental impact. Our key environmental performance indicators include reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, air emissions from ship movements and cargo transport, energy consumption, and the number of environmental incidents in port areas. There are 34 such indicators in total”, says Aistė Kubiliūtė, Environmental Coordinator at the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority.

The certification documents were assessed by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA). Their conclusion is that the Klaipėda Port environmental strategy meets the requirements of the PERS and provides for the reduction of the negative impacts of the port’s activities through the implementation and application of best management practices and the latest technologies, with a preference for renewable energy sources and energy-efficient technologies. According to the certification company, the Klaipėda Port is committed to the principles of the circular economy.

PERS (Port Environmental Review System) is the only environmental management standard for seaports. It is based on ESPO (European Sea ports Organisation) policy guidelines and a tailor-made scheme to help ports comply with legislation, develop sustainable port activities, protect the environment, improve public health and tackle climate challenges. ESPO has prepared guidelines for the implementation of a port environmental management system.

The certificate is issued for 2 years.