Contecon Manzanillo S.A. de C.V. (Contecon Manzanillo), a unit of global port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), is the first to be certified as a carbon neutral terminal in Mexico’s port industry.
In a statement on Thursday, the listed port company said that Contecon Manzanillo received the Carbon Neutrality UNE-14064-3:2019 certification, recognizing the terminal’s commitment to green initiatives including usage of renewable energy and decarbonization of its facility.
“The carbon neutrality certificate highlights the company’s efforts to offset greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through reduction and compensation practices,” ICTSI said.
Among the efforts include maintaining zero emission from equipment such as cranes, port tractors, air conditioners and other polluting sources.
The audit, performed by compliance monitor TÜV Rheinland, showed that the port’s carbon emissions amounted to 25,368.67 tons in 2021 while its total offset emissions reached 25,369 tons.
“We are proud to be the first terminal in Mexico verified under this regulation. At Contecon, we are quite clear about maintaining an agenda aligned with our business in which climate change is combatted and the use of renewable energy is encouraged,” Contecon Manzanillo CEO José Antonio Contreras said.
“More importantly, we are moving firmly towards the decarbonization of ports and maritime transport of Mexico,” he added.
“Granting this certification is a historic event for Contecon Manzanillo. At TÜV Rheinland de México, we are proud to have collaborated with them in their journey to become the first port terminal in Mexico to obtain the carbon neutral certification,” said Hermann Saenger, TÜV Rheinland de Mexico country manager.
In Drewry’s Global Container Terminal Operators Annual Review and Forecast for 2021-2022, ICTSI ranked 8th among global terminal operators (GTOs) for handling 10.1 million twenty-foot equivalent units in 2020. In 2020, GTOs handled 66 percent of the global port volume.
Drewry also recognized the Razon-led company as “the largest wholly-independent port operator with a presence across six continents.” It operates 33 terminals across 20 countries.