Two ports in Lanzarote and the only port in La Graciosa have received three blue flags for their "environmental quality, safety, accessibility, and user services". This has been reported by the Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Mobility of the Government of the Canary Islands, through its head Pablo Rodríguez, and the managing director of Puertos Canarios, José Gilberto Moreno.
With this distinction, the Canary Islands become the first autonomous community in Spain to obtain Blue Flags for ports of general interest under direct public management, as until now these distinctions had only been granted to marinas.
Furthermore, it is the first time in the history of Blue Flag Spain that six ports of general interest have received this award in the same edition.
During his speech, Pablo Rodríguez highlighted that this recognition "demonstrates that the Canary Islands are leading a new way of understanding port management, based on sustainability, innovation, and continuous improvement of public services".
He also pointed out that "ports are strategic infrastructures for the connectivity and development of our islands, but also spaces that must move towards more efficient, accessible, and environmentally friendly models".
The minister explained that obtaining the six Blue Flags continues the work developed by Puertos Canarios within its Strategic Framework 2024-2027 to turn autonomous ports into EcoPorts, promoting actions aimed at optimizing the operation, functioning, sustainability, and social image of port facilities.
Puertos Canarios has implemented improvements in equipment, services, and operability in the six distinguished ports, which represents "an unparalleled effort at the national level".
The technical and operational teams have reinforced environmental information and education, cleaning and waste management, accessibility, public restrooms, and first aid, rescue, and firefighting equipment during this period, in line with the criteria required by the Blue Flag program.
Likewise, Puertos Canarios has developed more than 25 environmental education activities in which nearly 500 people have participated, including students, port users, boat owners, technical staff, emergency personnel, and volunteers. Among the actions carried out, highlights include marine pollution drills, seabed cleanups, environmental awareness days, and shearwater protection campaigns through programmed shutdowns of port lighting.
For his part, José Gilberto Moreno has thanked the work done by the public entity's staff and has assured that "these six Blue Flags are the result of the effort and commitment of the entire Puertos Canarios team to continue improving our facilities and offering higher quality public services."
The port of Órzola, the smallest in Spain to receive it
Moreno has also highlighted that this recognition "projects the image of islands committed to sustainability, coastal care, and the modernization of their port infrastructures." In this regard, he has underlined that the port of Órzola also becomes the smallest publicly managed maritime port in Spain to obtain a Blue Flag.
The managing director has also outlined the main lines of the digitalization strategy that Puertos Canarios will develop between 2026 and 2030 to modernize the management of the public port domain and improve the experience of users, professionals, and companies.
A new technological roadmap
Among the planned actions is the creation of the integrated platform PIC-Puertos Inteligentes Canarios (Smart Canary Ports), which will allow for the centralization of port information, work with real-time data, and facilitate interoperability between systems. This will be complemented by the implementation of LoRaWAN connectivity, IoT environmental sensors, digital service viewers, and new public information tools linked to the Smart EcoPorts model.
In addition, Puertos Canarios will update and digitize operational procedures and forms, develop an application for the management of the public port domain, implement information totems, and renew the service catalog to facilitate a more agile, transparent, and accessible relationship with concessionaires, companies, and citizens.
Both the improvements that have made it possible to obtain the six Blue Flags and the new technological roadmap are part of the strategy promoted by the Government of the Canary Islands to consolidate a model of Smart EcoPorts in the Archipelago, oriented towards sustainability, innovation, and excellence in public port management.
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