- The Port Authority of Valencia will participate in this project to clean the seas together with the Ecoalf Foundation and Ecoembes, as a model of public-private collaboration for a more circular economy
- The ports of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandia will become part of a Mediterranean network of 72 other ports committed to cleaning up the seas, recovering and reusing waste and raising environmental awareness
- The APV Board has also agreed to grant authorization for the provision of commercial ship consignment services for several companies in the ports of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandia
- Also today, it has been approved to extend for a period of four years the collaboration agreement between the Port Authority and the City Council of Valencia on prevention and action of the fire department of Valencia in the port area. The firefighting teams assigned to the Port will participate in drills and training visits promoted by the Port Authority, in order to reinforce the preparation for emergency situations
València, June 30, 2025 – The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of Valencia (APV) today approved its adhesion to the Upcycling the Oceans project, an initiative 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.
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 characterization of marine debris, with a special focus on micro plastics, 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.
Previous experiences
In recent years, the Port Authority of Valencia (Valenciaport) has developed several initiatives focused on the protection of the marine environment, especially in the collection of waste and abandoned fishing nets. One of the most important of these has been the European LIFE IP INTEMARES project, in which it collaborated by cleaning up underwater waste in waters close to Valencian ports.
Likewise, Valenciaport has worked together with the Valenciaport Foundation and the Gandia Fishermen’s Guild in the framework of the MARPOL Gandia project, through which a pilot system was established for the collection and management of fishing waste in the port of Gandia, with special attention to end-of-life fishing nets (NPFU).
It has also been part of the Oceanets project, co-financed by the European Union’s LIFE program, focused on the recovery of fishing nets and their transformation into new textile products. In addition, the company has organized informative activities such as traveling exhibitions and educational workshops to raise awareness of the impact of marine debris.
OTHER COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS
New authorizations for port services
At the meeting held today at its headquarters in the Clock Building of the Port of Valencia, the APV Council has also tested and made several agreements on authorizations and concessions for the provision of commercial services in the ports of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandia, among them, it has approved the proposed resolution on the application of GANDIA SERVICIOS PORTUARIOS S.L for granting authorization for the provision of commercial ship consignment service, in the ports of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandia. An authorization that will boost the commercial activity of the port of La Safor.
It has also been approved a similar proposal to grant authorization presented by BERGÉ MARÍTIMA SAGUNTO, S.L.U. so that this company can provide the commercial service of ship consignment in the ports of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandia.
And related to the “land side” of the port activity, the request for authorization made by TRACCION RAIL, S.A. has been approved for the provision of the commercial service of railway shunting and any other related to train operations for the port of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandia.
València City Council Firefighters Agreement
The Board of the Port Authority of Valencia (APV) has approved an extension and an addendum to the collaboration agreement with the City Council of Valencia (Ayto/APV) in the field of firefighter intervention, in order to improve the attention to the obligations of both entities regarding the performance in emergencies specifically for the case of activation of the Self-Protection Plan of the Port of Valencia.
With this extension, which is extended for a period of four years, the firefighting teams assigned to the Port will participate in drills and training visits promoted by the Port Authority, in order to reinforce the preparation for emergency situations. In addition, specialized training courses will be given to the staff of the Fire Department of Valencia, focused on the specific actions that may be necessary in the Port of Valencia.
The APV, through the economic contribution established in the Agreement, undertakes to cover the costs of the training courses for firefighters and to provide the Fire Department with the necessary material means to act effectively in the event of any incident or emergency in the port facilities.
The addendum to the agreement also introduces a modification in the fourth clause, related to the Economic Regime. This modification establishes a higher contribution than in the previous period, due to the growing need for specialized training of the Fire Department personnel, in response to the particularities of emergencies in the Port of Valencia.
The annual amounts established in the agreement are up to €165,000 per year for the entire extension of the agreement.
A port with high security self-demanding
The Port of Valencia, one of the main logistics centers in Europe, is a complex environment that houses a wide variety of technologies, energy sources and a constant multimodal activity. In addition, its facilities are used for the movement of products and people requiring highly specialized emergency care.
This agreement reinforces the APV’s commitment of self-demanding to guarantee the safety and protection of all those who operate and transit through the Port of Valencia.