Friday, July 14, 2023 - 10:50 by tallinn
The cruise terminal of the Old City Harbour of Tallinn was awarded the Green Key, which assures both cruise passengers and the guests and partners visiting events at the cruise terminal that we operate in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Chairman of the Board of the Port of Tallinn Valdo Kalm said that applying for the Green Key certificate for the cruise terminal of the Old City Harbour is part of the sustainable development strategy of the Port of Tallinn, one significant aim of which is to contribute to more rigorous environmentally friendly practices, decrease the ecological footprint of our activities, and meet the goals of sustainable development. “The Green Key is essentially a sign of quality in operating as an environmentally friendly and sustainable conference and visitor centre for the cruise terminal. Whereas for cruise lines and event organisers, Green Key is a point in favour of choosing an site and creates added value,” Valdo Kalm added.
Green Key is an international ecological certificate for tourist undertakings and is a leading standard since 1994 used to acknowledge environmentally friendly and sustainable tourist destinations. Nearly 4000 companies from 60 countries worldwide have now obtained the certificate. The Green Key programme contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN.
The cruise terminal of the Old City Harbour as a holder of the Green Key certificate complies with the following significant criteria:
• Requirements to waste: we sort garbage and recycle whenever possible. We avoid any excess packaging and the use of disposable dishes.
• Requirements to energy: we use automation in our facilities, energy is produced by solar panels adapted to the Nordic climate, the building is heated and cooled by marine energy via a heat pump.
• Requirements to water: we select taps and other sanitary equipment based on how much they save water and encourage our guests to drink tapwater.
• Requirements to food: we serve more vegetarian food, using domestically grown clean produce and produce from small manufacturers.
• Requirements to cleaning: cleaning agents are dosed in advance and we only use agents with an ecological certificate.
• Outdoor maintenance: we do not use pesticides and water sparingly, as needed.
• Purchases: we have chosen partners and suppliers whose transparency, integrity and responsibility we can be sure of.
The international promoter of Green Key is the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). Green Key offers an operating model to tourist undertakings to develop corporate environmental friendliness and a sustainable approach. A high level of environmental friendliness is ensured by documenting operations, independent auditing, and site inspections. In Estonia, the certificate is coordinated by the joint efforts of EAS and Kredex.
The modern and varied cruise terminal of the Old City Harbour and its promenade open up the seaside for the cruise guests and local residents to spend their free time. Beside servicing cruise guests, the cruise terminal is during the offseason a popular venue which stands out with its gorgeous and modern interior architecture. The modern and environmentally friendly cruise terminal and its surroundings can be used to host various events – conferences, exhibitions, fairs, concerts, corporate parties.
