Launch of the CEN Workshop 'GREEN BAY'

There is currently a lack of standardized guidelines in the area of sustainability of certain marine areas. More concretely, there is urgent need to respond to the call to unify environmental practices due to the accelerating impacts of climate change which affect coastal and port areas through rising sea levels and extreme weather events.

The pressure of environmental responsibility, alongside economic and societal responsibility, is being felt by ports. It is timely therefore that the GREEN BAY initiative gains attention and pushes forward in its goals.

Several European and international regulations do exist and provide a valuable foundation for work in this area. But the lack of harmonized guidance means that there are inconsistencies and practical challenges. Development of standardized and practical guidelines will therefore help to prevent inefficiencies and non-compliance while supporting environmental performance and encouraging alignment with EU objectives.

It is envisioned that the CWA resulting from this Workshop will address critical issues such as local environmental degradation, including air and water pollution and waste management challenges in the context of passenger terminals. In so doing, it will provide a clear framework for ports to adopt. This will in turn promote a greener maritime sector across Europe.

The kick-off meeting for the Workshop is planned to take place at the AFNOR Headquarters in Paris, Saint-Denis and online on 3 October 2025 from 9.00 am to 12.00 pm (CEST). To attend, please contact the Workshop Secretary, Maxime Bonnel or join online via Zoom.

All interested parties are invited to submit comments on the draft Project Plan using the commenting form below, to the Workshop Secretary, Maxime Bonnel (maxime.bonnel@afnor.org), by September 19th, 2025.

Download the documents:

• Workshop description and draft Project Plan
• Agenda of the Kick-off Meeting
• Registration form
• Commenting form