The majority of port activity is performed by private companies that operate in it under license, authorization or franchises granted by the Port Authority. These permissions enable the companies to operate in the port, and also regulate both the activity performed and the type of use they are allowed to give the port space.
Therefore, the influence of the Port Authority on the environmental performance of the operation is indirect and it is performed establishing operating conditions that respect the environment, either in the port regulations or in the licenses and authorizations that regulate the activity that the companies operate in the port.
Nonetheless, when it comes to promoting better environmental management by the companies that operate in the port, the Port Authorities not only have administrative regulation mechanisms but also economic incentive mechanisms, such as:
• Discounts in activity charges. Granted to those operators that sign and comply with Agreements for Best Practices drawn up in accordance with the Port Authority.
• Unplanned extensions to franchise period. Granted to operators who have made investments that are of "interest for improving the environmental quality of port operations“.
In this context, the goal of the Guides to Best Practices drawn up by Puertos del Estado —in collaboration with the Port Authorities and the Port Operators— is to provide a common framework to allow initiatives to be systematized and standardized for promoting improved environmental performance for operations in the entire port system.
The following guides are currently available and can be accessed on this website.
• Guide to best practices in the implementation of environmental management systems: Provides recommendations for implementing environmental management systems in port companies. The goal of these recommendations is to adapt the management systems both to the particularities of operations in the port and to the inspection requirements in the best practices agreements that the operator may sign with the Port Authority.
• Guide to best practices in the handling of solid bulk: This guide provides recommendations both for best practices in operations and in the provision of equipment. The goal is to help to control environmental impacts linked to handling solid bulk, using a flexible management model that takes into account the wide variety of models for operations, equipment, activity levels and degrees of vulnerability of the environment present in our ports.