Five Dutch Wadden Sea ports achieve PERS certification

24 June 2016

ESPO is delighted to congratulate the ports of Den Helder, Den Oever, Groningen, Harlingen and Lauwersoog for achieving PERS certification. The five ports received their certificates during a dedicated trilateral conference bringing together ports and stakeholders in the Wadden Sea from the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark that took place on 20 June.

ESPO Senior Policy Advisor, Antonis Michail, handed over the certificates to the representatives of the ports: René Genee, Deputy Director Groningen Seaports; Dirk Klinkenberg, Harbour Master Port of Harlingen; Jacoba Bolderheij, Director Port of Den Helder and Theo Meskers, alderman municipality Hollands Kroon. 

“We congratulate the Dutch Wadden Sea ports for their PERS certification. The Wadden ports coalition shows the willingness to face the common environmental challenges in the sensitive Wadden Sea area. I hope that this initiative can soon be expanded to German and Danish Wadden Sea ports.” said ESPO Secretary General, Isabelle Ryckbost, in the opening session of the trilateral conference. 

In 2013, the Dutch Wadden Sea ports joined efforts and organized a dedicated EcoPorts workshop with the aim to work together towards implementing and getting certified by PERS. At that time, the ports of Groningen and Harlingen had already achieved PERS certification, but the three other ports were introduced to EcoPorts for the first time. 

“ESPO is delighted that this collaborative initiative concluded in this fruitful and successful manner. We congratulate the Dutch Wadden Sea ports on putting to practice the EcoPorts approach of working together sharing knowledge and experience.” said Antonis Michail, ESPO Senior Policy Advisor.       

PERS is the only port sector specific environmental management standard. It is the flagship product of the EcoPorts network and is offered as part of the ESPO services to its members through the EcoPorts websiteCompliance with the PERS standard is independently assessed by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance and the certificate has a validity of two years. There are 25 ports in Europe and its neighboring countries currently certified by PERS. ESPO is delighted to observe the increased interest shown to PERS by European port authorities and encourages all ports within its membership to implement the scheme and to get certified.

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