In the ruthless market of recreational boating and high-value tourism, sustainability has ceased to be a footnote in Corporate Social Responsibility reports and has become a first-rate financial asset. Puertos Canarios, the public entity that manages the autonomous network of the archipelago, appears to have internalized this principle by announcing yesterday, Wednesday, the formalization of six candidacies for obtaining the Blue Flag certification, a distinction that for the first time in Spain seeks to certify ports of integral public management. The selection is not random. By presenting the candidacies of Agaete, Garachico, Caleta del Sebo, Gran Tarajal, Órzola, and Playa Blanca, the management led by José Gilbert Moreno not only seeks aesthetic recognition but also aims to support its ambitious Strategic Plan 2024-2027. Under the concept of ‘Eco-Port’, the public entity intends to elevate the standards of around fifty infrastructures, at a time when investors and users in the nautical sector increasingly penalize inefficient management of coastal resources. The path to the award of this accolade, granted by the FEE (Foundation for Environmental Education), imposes a discipline of costs and operations that will test the technical efficiency of the Canarian administration. Obtaining this label awarded by ADEAC represents a competitive advantage in the Atlantic. In an environment where decarbonization and respect for the marine environment are now selection criteria for major international routes, having a Blue Flag port conveys a message of stability and quality of service. For Puertos Canarios, this milestone represents the shift from mere infrastructure management to brand asset management. The designation of specific responsible individuals at each location to oversee compliance with the criteria suggests that the Government of the Canary Islands understands that the Blue Flag is not an end goal, but a recurring commitment that must be renewed annually under the scrutiny of international juries. If the plan is successful, the archipelago will not only export sun and beach but also a model of public port management that prioritizes sustainability as the driver of its global competitiveness.
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