This agreement will see the platform titled ‘SCALE’ emerge as an alliance for sustainable development, while at the same time, it will create a pathway for future additional actions to be taken in the planning of a net-zero industry, including awareness programs and training, 360 degrees design on a sustainability roadmap and implementation activities for ports, collaboration on environmental impact analysis in cruise port operations, introduction of sustainability assessment and certification tools for sustainable ports, and many more.
Figen Ayan, president of MedCruise, said, ‘We have been in touch with the GSTC for over 20 months to shape and structure – in an internationally recognised manner – MedCruise’s ambitious, holistic and inclusive, sustainable approach. We know that one solution for all is not applicable for our cruise ports, as we are composed of large ports, boutique ports and islands. Therefore, as discussed in Palermo upon the first stakeholders forum of the EU-funded BlueMission Med project, we hope that a certification system will be implemented and that the efforts of all our port members to create sustainable, eco-conscious destinations, no matter what their volume is, will be recognised and accepted accordingly.Â
‘Thank you to the GSTC for being a key partner and Mr. Ioannis Pappas for his dedication and hard work on this instrumental collaboration.’Â
Pappas, GSTC’s director for the Mediterranean region, remarked, ‘We at GSTC are very excited that… GSTC and MedCruise, are announcing an agreement on developing a new initiative for sustainable tourism development in ports around the globe, based on creation of the Sustainable Cruise Alliance (SCALE). This global platform will facilitate the transition of Ports and Cruise Supply Chain into a more sustainable future for the sake of all.’Â
GSTC CEO Randy Durband said, ‘GSTC is pleased to continue expanding our support to cruise port destinations and the cruise industry’s activities in ports with this collaboration with MedCruise. Applying the GSTC Destination Criteria to these many ports throughout the greater Mediterranean region can certainly enhance good governance for continuous improvement in a holistic approach to sustainable cruise port management.’Â
This agreement was the outcome of enthusiastic collaboration between the two organisations in recent years, and it was signed at the 62nd edition of the General Assembly of MedCruise on May 25 in Corfu, Greece, where more than 170 delegates, 17 executives from 15 cruise lines and 12 journalists from the international press participated.Â
