European EMAS certification recognises the Terminal de Contenedores de Gijón’s environmental excellence
Barcelona, 25 June 2013.- The Terminal de Contenedores de Gijón, belonging to Grup TCB, has been recognised by EMAS, a voluntary certification issued by the European Union, which guarantees companies’ environmental commitment following an independent audit. As a result, TCG has been included in the EMAS Registry in the principality of Asturias.
“Achieving EMAS certification means having a well-defined environmental policy and an environmental management system that we report on periodically. There is no doubt that this seal of approval affects our future action as it represents a commitment to the development of actions and environmental evaluations,” says Daniel Muñoz, Quality Manager atTCB, designated as TCG assessor by Grup Marítim TCB. Reducing energy consumption and proper waste treatment are among TCG’s main goals.
The European Union’s Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) was created in 1995 as a tool for industrial companies to use to evaluate their environmental actions in a standardised way and implement ways of improving them. The certification has been open to all economic sectors since 2001 and constitutes a seal of approval that guarantees the continual improvement of environmental sustainability processes, the credibility of companies via external auditing and transparency regarding company actions concerning these matters.
As Tomás Palacios, General Director of the Terminal de Contenedores de Gijón, explains,“EMAS certification involves both a recognition and a drive to continue to optimise our environmental management, which is a structural part of TCG and another component in the improvement of our services at the Muelle de la Osa”.
In 2011, the Terminal de Contenedores de Barcelona (TCB) became the first container company in Spain to receive EMAS certification, followed by the Valencian branch of the holding company, TCV.
About Grup TCB
Grup TCB is a global reference in the design and management of efficient maritime port terminals. Currently, it operates 11 container terminals: Barcelona, Canary Islands, Valencia, Gijon, Paranagua (Brasil), Havana (Cuba), Progreso (Mexico), Buenaventura (Colombia), Nemrut Bay (Turkey) and, in the future, Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala). It also has two subsidiaries in the intermodal services sector (TCB Railway Transport and TCV Railway Transport) and four rail terminals (Barcelona, Valencia, Gijon, Zaragoza).
Grup TCB puts special emphasis on optimising internal resources and the organic development of its business, which is being achieved by implementing the latest technologies and professional training of its personnel. This guarantees the quality of its operations, maximum sustainability and environmental compatibility.