Sambito president Gustavo Manrique and Ministry of the Environment Guayas provincial director Evelyn Montalván hands over the plaque of recognition to CGSA CEO José Antonio Contreras. Credit: ICTSI.

International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) unit Contecon Guayaquil (CGSA) has secured a carbon-neutral certification from Ecuador Ministry of Environment and environmental ratings agency called Sambito.

CGSA currently operates the Port of Guayaquil in Ecuador under a 20-year operating concession awarded by the port authority of Guayaquil, Autoridad Portuario de Guayaquil (APG), in 2007.

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The carbon-neutral certification represents CGSA’s compliance with ISO 14064-1 standards and has made Port of Guayaquil the first port to receive the certification in South America.

It also recognises the company’s policies that aim to support greater sustainability initiatives and introduce technologies that lower the operational impact of CGSA.

CGSA CEO José Antonio Contreras said: “This carbon-neutral certification awarded to Contecon Guayaquil is a testament of our firm and unbreakable commitment to preserving the environment in our own way.

“This certification highlights, above all, a conviction and responsibility to guarantee eco-friendly and sustainable operations with less contamination to the environment. This is our contribution to a better world.”

“This certification highlights, above all, a conviction and responsibility to guarantee eco-friendly and sustainable operations.”

As part of its effort to reduce Port of Guayaquil’s day-to-day energy demands, CGSA previously formed a team to verify and develop mechanisms to lower the port’s industrial emissions.

ICTSI senior vice-president and Americas regional head Anders Kjeldsen said: “Beyond port efficiency, the ICTSI Group has been making substantial investments to ensure an environmental-friendly supply chain, with the long-term vision of being able to secure appropriate certifications for all ports – regardless of location, project age, or stage of development.

“CGSA’s recent achievement underscores the Group’s proactive efforts towards minimising the impact of port operations towards hinterland communities.”

In order to shift towards energy-efficient operations, ICTSI is focusing on improving its energy monitoring systems, expand the use of next-generation energy-efficient cargo-handling equipment and vehicle fleets, as well as other measures.