The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of Valencia (APV) has approved its adhesion to the Upcycling the Oceans project.
The project is promoted by the Ecoalf Foundation and Ecoembes, whose objective is to recover waste from the sea and reintroduce it into the recycling cycle, with the collaboration of the fishing sector.
The agreement, which has no economic implications for Valenciaport, promotes traceability, custody, and responsible management of marine waste, reinforcing public awareness and the active participation of the port community.
This agreement has an initial term of four years, renewable annually up to a maximum of eight years.
READ: Valenciaport traffic grows as transshipment volumes fall
With their incorporation, the ports of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandia will become part of a Mediterranean network of 72 other ports committed to the fight against marine pollution, an action aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goal number 14 for the protection of underwater life.
The project contributes to the characterisation of marine debris, with a special focus on microplastics, whose presence poses a risk to both marine ecosystems and human health by facilitating the entry of hazardous chemicals into the food chain.
The joint efforts of Valenciaport, the Ecoalf Foundation and Ecoembes represent a model of cooperation between public and private entities aimed at giving a second life to marine waste, converting garbage into a resource through advanced recycling processes.
In addition to its operational component, Upcycling the Oceans is committed to raising awareness and educating the fishing sector and the general public, promoting greater awareness of the impact of waste in the sea and the active role that society can play in reducing it.
Earlier this month, Valenciaport took part in the Maritime Silk Road Port Cooperation Forum (MPF), which was held in the Chinese port city of Ningbo.
