PortCastelló approves a Code of Good Environmental Practices

The Board of Directors of the Castellón Port Authority today approved a Code of Good Environmental Practices, which will become a mandatory instruction. The purpose of the document is to regulate the solid bulk handling operations carried out in the port’s service area to mitigate the emission of particulate material into the atmosphere, as well as to establish the operational practices and conditions for the handling of this merchandise.

The president of the Castellón Port Authority, Rafa Simó, has highlighted that this body has worked during the last two years in several areas of environmental protection action, including the acquisition of three new particle measurement stations in the south dock that, together with the two already existing in the north basin, allow to cover air quality control in the entire perimeter of the port. The Port Authority has integrated these automatic particle meters into the Valencia Network for the Monitoring and Control of Atmospheric Pollution.

In addition, three new dust trapping screens have been installed, the Ceramica dock has been concessioned to provide the operations with a higher level of environmental protection, the circulation of trucks has been ordered, the time of deposit of the merchandise has been limited in the docks and a daily control of solid bulk operations is carried out to reduce the impact on the environment.

This code will appear in the voluntary agreement that will be signed shortly between the Port Authority and the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, Climate Emergency and Ecological Transition.”Being the best ally of our environment is one of our main objectives,” said Rafa Simó. “The port must grow in a sustainable way and hand in hand with our port community.”

The president also reported on the evolution of freight traffic in the port of Castellón, which grew 1% in August compared to the same period of the previous year. PortCastelló rises from fourth to third in solid bulks in the accumulated of the year, and the fall in traffic in these eight months stands at 9.6%, below the system average. “This is good data, but we have to be cautious,” said Rafa Simó.

The president has informed the Council of the upcoming opening of the customs service in the port of Castellón, which has been recovering after it was moved to the center of Castellón in 2012 given the conditions of the emblematic building. The job is  expected to be completed in December and the personnel will be transferred during the month of January.

On the other hand, the president has communicated to the Board of Directors the next celebration of III Escala to Castelló (between October 8 and 22), the IV edition of the Faro Awards and Business Conference, events that had to be postponed due to the COVID-19.

Other approved agreements:

. Approval of the update of the protection evaluation of the port facilities APM Terminals SAU, Masol Iberia Biofuel SLU, Terminal Marítima del Grao SL :, PortSur Castellón SA, and UBE Corporation Europe SAU, in compliance with Regulation CE 725/2004 and the Code International ISPS regarding the improvement of the security of ships and port facilities.

. Administrative concession to Rudder Marine Services and Ship Repairs S.L. for the occupation of office number 13 located in the old building of the Port Authority, in the service area of ​​the port of Castellón.

. Administrative concession to Nuppec Logística S.L. for the occupation of office number 7 located in the new building of the Port Authority of the service area of ​​the port of Castellón.

. Substantial modification due to extension of the term of the administrative concession to Guzmán Global S.L. for the occupation of a 22,000 square meter plot in the new esplanade of the Castellón port service area.

. Substantial modification due to change of object of the administrative concession granted to Gimeno Servicios Portuarios S.A. for the occupation of some offices in the old building of the Port Authority located in the service area of ​​the port.