The Port of Açu is a finalist in two categories of the 2021 World Ports Sustainability Awards organized by the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), the main entity in the sector, representing around 170 ports in 90 countries. The finalists are selected by a panel of international experts based on criteria such as the projects contribution for the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Açu is the only Brazilian port selected in the competition, to which 64 projects were submitted by 37 ports from 21 countries. After the jury selection, the public now can contribute with part of the scores that will decide the winner of each category, with a weight of 30% in the final say. The public voting starts this Monday, May 17th, and stays until May 31st, at https://sustainableworldports.org/iaph-sustainability-awards-2021.
The two finalist projects are Protecting Sea Turtles and Together in the Fight Against Covid-19, which are running in the Community Outreach and Port-City Dialogue (environment dimension) and Health, Safety and Security categories, respectively.
Last year, Açu won the award in the Safety and Security category with the Emergency Readiness Project, which highlights the key role of ports in the response to possible major incidents involving oil at sea.
“We are very proud to be finalists in two categories, alongside other important projects. The Sea Turtle Program is an important contribution to biodiversity conservation in the country and is a highlight in community engagement for education and environmental preservation. Our actions against Covid-19 were instrumental in maintaining the port’s safety and operational continuity, in addition to contributing to mitigate socio-economic impacts of the pandemic on the local and port community. Moreover, we played a relevant role in international collaboration to share the best practices for contagion prevention in ports,” says Vinícius Patel, Director of Port Administration in the Port of Açu.
Winners will be announced on June 24, during a virtual ceremony of the World Ports Conference.
Learn about the projects
Protecting Sea Turtles
The program aims to protect, monitor and research sea turtles that use the region for feeding and nesting. The program is divided into 3 lines of action: sustainable port operations; monitoring and protection of coastal environments and community outreach and scientific research.
The program has already carried out more than 65 release and education activities, reaching more than 7,500 people. Thanks to the partnership with the community, the State Environmental Institute and Centro Tamar/ICMBio, more than 14,000 turtle nests have been identified and protected.
In 2021, the Port of Açu celebrated the milestone of 1 million hatchlings of the Caretta caretta species released to the sea, a relevant contribution to the conservation of this threatened species.
Together in the Fight Against Covid-19
Faced with the challenges brought on by the pandemic and aware of its role with the local community, the Port of Açu carried out several actions to raise awareness and fight Covid-19, ensuring the safety and continuity of its operations and of the entire port community.
Açu was also instrumental in mitigating the effects of the pandemic on the local community, in northern Rio de Janeiro state, by setting up the Humanitarian Actions Committee. In 2020 alone, R$4.3 million were spent on initiatives ranging from donations of hospital supplies and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to food distribution and incentives for coronavirus research and monitoring. Açu also took a relevant international role by promoting the dissemination of the best practices among ports around the world, as in the development of the International Guide for Ports in the fight against Covid-19.
About the International Association of Ports and Harbors
Founded in 1955, the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) is a global non-profit alliance of 170 ports and 140 port-related organizations, covering 90 countries. Members handle more than 60% of global maritime trade and around 80% of global container traffic. IAPH has consultative NGO status with several United Nations agencies. In 2018, IAPH established the World Ports Sustainability Program (WPSP), which spans five major areas for collaboration: energy transition, resilient infrastructure, safety and security, community outreach and governance.
