Four ports in Quebec’s Lower St. Lawrence and Gaspé region operated by the Société portuaire du Bas-Saint-Laurent et de la Gaspésie (SPBSG) have been enrolled in Green Marine, North America’s voluntary environmental certification program for the maritime industry.
SPBSG administers the ports of Gros-Cacouna, Rimouski, Matane and Gaspé which are said to be a significant addition to the Green Marine program in the Lower St. Lawrence and Gaspé areas, almost doubling the number of participants in these regions.
Anne Dupéré, SPBSG’s president and CEO, said: “It is important to us that our ports operate in a sustainable manner to ensure their long-term strategic role in the commercial and economic development of our region.”
In a separate statement, Green Marine informed that the Gaspé Terminal, a facility owned by renewable fuel producer Valero Energy, has joined the certification program.
It is the third Valero’s facility to do so following the Jean-Gaulin Refinery in Lévis, which is one of Green Marine’s founding members, and the Montreal East Terminal, the largest of its kind in Canada.
“Valero demonstrates great rigour in the conduct of its activities in all matters relating to the environment,” commented Jean-Sébastien Borduas, executive director of Pipeline and Terminals.
“Obtaining Green Marine certification for the Gaspé Terminal, as was the case for those in Lévis and Montreal East, is, therefore, the logical next step in the process of continuous improvement of our environmental performance.”
Dave Bolduc, Green Marine’s executive director, welcomed the new member: “We are pleased to see the Gaspé Terminal join our environmental certification program. The addition of this new terminal reflects Valero Energy’s commitment to sustainable operations throughout the Province of Quebec.”
To achieve Green Marine certification, the new members will assess their environmental performance through indicators that address such issues as greenhouse gases, underwater noise, spill prevention, harmonization of uses, community relations, waste management and environmental leadership.
The first results will cover their 2022 environmental performance and be published in 2023.
Recently, Hendry Marine Industries’ Gulf Marine Repair joined the program as the first U.S. Gulf Coast shipyard to do so, shortly after Green Marine welcomed Fincantieri’s U.S. subsidiary Fincantieri Marine Group (FMG) into program.
In addition to the U.S. and Canada, the certification program was also launched in Europe in 2020 through the Green Marine and Surfrider Foundation Europe partnership.
Source: World Maritime News
