About us
Green Marine Europe is a voluntary environmental certification program for the European maritime industry.
Born of a collective industry effort, Green Marine Europe aims to guide the maritime industry toward environmental excellence by encouraging maritime enterprises to adopt concrete, measurable actions that go beyond regulatory obligations. The program, therefore, deals specifically with maritime transportation issues, such as air, water and soil quality.
It is an inclusive, rigorous and transparent initiative that brings together several types of ship owners and shipyards. To obtain the Green Marine Europe certification, participants must complete the certification process. The membership also encompasses associations, supporters and partners that each in their own way, support participants in their efforts to reduce their environmental footprint.
International scope
Upstream of Green Marine Europe is Green Marine, an initiative founded in 2007 that quickly distinguished itself through its credibility and its capability to foster the continual improvement of the environmental performance of its participants. Initially conceived for the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes maritime sector, the binational (Canada/US) environmental certification program quickly generated unexpected interest in the industry and now has a North American reach.
In 2019, Green Marine collaborated with Surfrider Foundation Europe to export the environmental certification program to France to give birth to Green Marine Europe in 2020. Green Marine Europe operates on the same proven model as the North American program.
In May 2024, a new corporation and governance structure was formed to oversee the Green Marine and Green Marine Europe environmental certification programs. This new structure was the next logical step given the strong synergies between the programs, and Surfrider Foundation Europe’s licensing agreement to manage Green Marine Europe coming to an end this year.
A collaborative approach
Green Marine Europe’s uniqueness stems from its collaborative model that brings together representatives from the industry, governments, research institutions and environmental organizations.
Team and structure
Until the end of 2024, coordination of the Green Marine Europe program is managed by Surfrider Foundation Europe, with the collaboration of the North American Green Marine team. The European team, based in Biarritz, counts four persons.