The presentation was attended by Fernando Clavijo, President of the Government of the Canary Islands; Pedro Ortega, Counsellor of the Economy of the Government of the Canary Islands; Javier Mateo, Vice-President of the Tourism of Melilla; Antonio Armas, Vice President of Naviera Armas- Trasmedonaria and Paulino Rivero, responsible for Institutional Relations

Shipping Armas- Trasmediterranean has today presented in FITUR the project that will allow it to become the first shipping group in the world Plastic Free. The presentation took place at its 10D04 stand, located at Pavilion 10, also free of plastics in its construction, with 100% organic jute floor, natural wood finish from sustainable agroforestry plantations and with water enamel paint, as in its use throughout the fair, as all single-use plastic utensils have been replaced by other sustainable materials.

With the Plastic Free Project, the first phase of which is already being implemented, a number of measures will be implemented to eliminate the consumption of single-use plastics on all its ships, maritime terminals and offices. In addition, the consumption of single-use plastics that cannot be withdrawn today will be offset by collaborative actions with entities and agencies and NGOs working for awareness-raising and environmental care through the collection of plastic and the protection of marine fauna.

This project, which will make the Naviera Armas-TransMediterranean Group an eco-friendly brand, responds to four of the United Nations-led Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the Development Programme. In particular, the Group will carry out different actions to comply with responsible production and consumption SDGs; climate action; underwater life and life of terrestrial ecosystems.

With the launch of the Plastic Free project, the shipowning-TransMediterranean Group will work to continue to exercise its services in a sustainable manner and to contribute to the awareness of its customers and travellers in the importance of reducing the consumption of plastics and betting on recycling.

In the first phase already being implemented, all single-use plastic material used in restoration (bars, restaurants and vending machines), shops (bags and packagins) and cabins (amenities) will be replaced by other elements of sustainable wood and disposable, biodegradable or compostable material and will be installed on each ship recycling stations. This will allow all passenger ships from Grupo Naviera- Armas to be free of plastics from 1 March. Also in the offices of Grupo Naviera Armas- Trasmediterranea, steps have been taken to remove plastics from office and stationery, commercial and promotional materials.

In a second phase, the Armas- TransMediterranean Group aims to extend the Plastic Free commitment to all the non-single-use plastic and to the entire chain of suppliers, rewarding those who also bet on the elimination of the plastic. It will also conduct an audit and create a seal of its own, among other actions.

In the framework of FITUR, the group Naviera Armas- Transmediterranean has announced collaboration with entities, bodies and NGOs working for environmental care to carry out different actions. With these initiatives the shipping group will compensate all the plastic that cannot be removed today. Among the developments for this year, Naviera Armas- Transmediterranean will collaborate through the sponsorship of an ICU for the recovery of marine animals with CRAM, a foundation dedicated to the aid and recovery of marine fauna. In addition, with OCEANIDAS and the Network of Marine Watchers, NGOs dedicated to the protection, research and dissemination of marine biodiversity, through participation in waste cleaning and collection projects on all Spanish coasts and the seabed; and with the Ecomar Foundation, through support in the conduct of training and awareness workshops for children in the cleaning and collection of plastic on the beaches, as well as participation in coastal cleaning campaigns on the Balearic and Canary Islands. For the first time, it will collaborate with the Spanish Confederation of Fisheries, to contribute to the activities of collection of plastics on the high seas; in addition to the collaboration that has been carried out for years by Naviera Armas with Canarias Libre de Plastics, an organization that carries out campaigns of collection of plastics on the beaches of the archipelago.