Contecon Guayaquil handles first carbon-neutral container shipment in the world
Contecon Guayaquil (CGSA) at the Port of Guayaquil in Ecuador recently handled the world’s first carbon neutral-certified container shipment, employing a logistics process involving environment-friendly supply chain players, from the exporter to the port and distributor.
The milestone operation was achieved through the participation and cooperation of TropicalFruit Export SA, CGSA, and Societe International d’Importation (SIIM)–all carbon neutral-certified and known for their strong adherence to sustainable development and environmental care principles, as well as strict compliance to clean technologies and neutralization of their respective carbon footprints.
The shipment of Ecuadorian bananas came from TropicalFruit, an Ecuadorian company dedicated to exporting high quality tropical fruits using high quality standards with emphasis on environmental preservation, social responsibility, health, and safety. The company has been certified as carbon neutral since 2015.
CGSA loaded the container to Antwerpen-bound vessel MSC Geneva. CGSA, the first port operator in the Americas to obtain ISO 14064 carbon neutral certification from TUV Rheinland, strictly applied the principles of environmental stewardship and use of clean technology to protect its surrounding areas. CGSA’s certification and compensation process was performed locally by Sambito S.A.
Finally, the bananas were distributed and marketed under the SIIM brand Selvatica. SIIM, a French wholesale distributor of fruits and vegetables, is also involved in developing sustainable agriculture since 2014 through its foundation, and is an advocate of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
“This achievement was made possible thanks to the trust of the country’s exporting companies who choose Contecon Guayaquil for their operations, our business partners and government entities with whom we work hand in hand, our employees and management, and most especially our parent company who continually decides to invest in infrastructure that not only allows economic and port growth but also the preservation of the environment,” said José Antonio Contreras, CGSA Chief Executive Officer.
Ecuadorian Minister of Transport and Public Works Gabriel Martínez stressed the importance of the CGSA concession: “It’s such a source of pride for us that Contecon Guayaquil S.A., concessionaire of Guayaquil’s public port, has achieved this milestone, and that it has been the first to do so. We weren’t wrong last year when we released USD170 million worth of investment for this port, and we signed the addendum to give them 19 more years for the concession.”
The milestone demonstrates how exporters can certify their supply chain processes to achieve greater competitiveness in the most exacting markets and at the same time be in compliance with global regulations to successfully meet consumer demand for products from sustainable processes.
