Where are the eco ports in Italy awarded the Blue Flag

A total of 82 Italian ports and marinas received the Blue Flag in 2022, synonymous with clean water, excellent services and environmentally sustainable behavior. It is worthwhile then to include them in cruise programs.

Surely in the dreams of the sailor who sets out on a cruise is to land in a port or marina that respects the environment and champions the preservation of the Mediterranean. A facility that offers all the services needed by sea travelers, from electricity, fresh water, toilets and fueling. But also that it is committed to ensuring that this has the least impact on the environment by educating boaters in environmentally sustainable behavior.

There are 537 marinas and landings available to sailors in Italy, with a total of 160,000 berths. Here, those that meet that dream of the common yachtsman to date are only 82. Quite a few, honestly. These are those that were awarded the Blue Flag in 2022, an award promoted annually by the international nonprofit organization Fee, Foundation for Environmental Education based in Denmark to reward those tourist landings that can boast the best waters, the greatest respect for the environment and quality services.

Liguria is confirmed at the top of the Blue Regions ranking

At the regional level, Liguria leads the ranking with 14 landings awarded the prestigious flag, followed by Friuli-Venezia Giulia with 13 ports and Sardinia with 10 landings deserving the banner. This is followed by Campania (9), Puglia, Veneto and Tuscany tied with 7 facilities, Marche (6), Calabria, Lazio and Sicily with 2, and finally Emilia Romagna, Basilicata and Abruzzo with one dream landing.

The Foundation for Environmental Education’s 2022 campaign awarded one more landfall than in 2021. This is the Neptune Marina, a facility built in Sicily in 1998 and currently managed by Comet, of which entrepreneur Ivo Blandina is president. For the rest, other virtuous cases are confirmed, such as Marina Cala de’ Medici or Marina di Varazze, which have been awarded the coveted flag for 12 and 14 consecutive years, respectively, or Marina D’Arechi, on its eighth consecutive flag. Marina di Loano has won 10.

How to get the Blue Flag: criteria and controls

But how does an Italian port receive Blue Flag recognition? There are 33 criteria according to which the nongovernmental organization awards each year. These include bathing water (according to Arpa data), which must not be visually polluted. Sewerage must also not spill into the harbor, and in general the facility must be equipped with equipment to collect oil, paint and chemical residues as well as life preservers and emergency response equipment. Landfall management must also provide environmental information and take part in environmental sustainability campaigns.

These are criteria that are always updated, and this year, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development the novelty was the introduction of social commitment and inclusiveness in the scorecards: a new parameter set to further foster the growth path of Italian landings that aspire to the Blue Flag.

The landing place that intends to apply for the Blue Flag basically participates in a kind of “examination” embedded in a protocol that includes strict control systems. The inspectors chosen by the Danish organization then sift through every aspect of running the marina. In addition to the national and international jury, other institutions such as the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Coordination of Regional Tourism Departments also contribute in the awarding process.

Blue Flags have also provided sailors for many years now with a kind of virtual map for planning their cruise stops. They do well, because by choosing these landings in some way they are contributing to the health of our sea.

BLUE FLAG LANDINGS LIST 2022

ABRUZZO

Pescara – Marina di Pescara (A.S.P.T)

BASILICATA

Policoro – Marina di Policoro

CALABRIA

Cosenza – Tourist Dock Port of Cetraro

Roccella Jonica – Porto delle Grazie

CAMPANIA

Capri – Tourist Port of Capri

Procida – Yachting Santa Margherita Procida

Pozzuoli – Sudcantieri

Casamicciola Terme – Cala degli Aragonesi

Agropoli – Agropoli Marina

Salerno – Marina D’Arechi

Centola – Palinuro Marina

Camerota – Marina di Camerota

Pollica – Acciaroli Tourist Port

EMILIA ROMAGNA.

Misano Adriatico – Portoverde

FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA

Grado – Porto San Vito

Monfalcone – Marina Hannibal

Trieste – Italian Naval League

Duino Aurisina – Portopiccolo Marina

Lignano Sabbiadoro – Marina Uno

Giorgio di Nogaro – Marina Sant’Andrea

Lignano Sabbiadoro – Marina Punta Verde

San Giorgio di Nogaro – Cantieri Marina San Giorgio

Aprilia Marittima – Marina Capo Nord

Aprilia Marittima – Marina Punta Gabbiani

Lignano Sabbiadoro – Marina Punta Faro

Latisana – Dock Aprilia Marittima

Lignano Sabbiadoro – Darsena Porto Vecchio

LAZIO

Sperlonga – Port of Sperlonga

Gaeta – Base Nautica Flavio Gioia

LIGURIA

Chiavari – Marina di Chiavari

Imperia – Goimperia

Bordighera – Port of Bordighera

San Lorenzo al Mare – Marina di San Lorenzo

Stefano al Mare – Marina degli Aregai

La Spezia – Porto Lotti

Portovenere – Portovenere Marina

La Spezia – Porto Mirabello

Andora – Marina of Andora

Alassio – Porto Luca Ferrari

Savona – Old Dock

Varazze – Marina di Varazze

Celle Ligure – Cala Cravieu

Loano – Marina di Loano

MARCHE

Ancona – Marina Dorica

Numana – Numana Tourist Port

Senigallia – Porto della Rovere

San Benedetto del Tronto – Circolo Nautico Sambenedettese

Porto S.Giorgio – Marina di Porto S.Giorgio

Fano – Marina dei Cesari

PUGLIA

Polignano a Mare – Cala Ponte Marina

Bisceglie – Marina Resort Bisceglie Landing marina

Brindisi – Marina di Brindisi

Rodi Garganico – Rodi Garganico Tourist Port

Manfredonia – Marina del Gargano

Marina di Leuca – Marina di Leuca marina

Melendugno – Tourist Port of San Foca

SARDINIA

Quartu S. Elena – Marina di Capitana

S.Maria Navarrese – Marina di Baunei and S. Maria Navarrese

Arzachena – Porto Cervo Marina

La Maddalena – Cala Gavetta

Arzachena – Marina dell’Orso Poltu Quatu

Olbia – Marina di Portisco

Olbia – Marina di Portorotondo

Palau – Municipal Tourist Port of Palau

Teresa Gallura – Marina di S. Teresa Gallura

Castelsardo – Castelsardo Tourist Port

SICILY

Capo D’Orlando – Capo D’Orlando Marina

Messina – Neptune Marina

TUSCANY

Monte Argentario – Marina Cala Galera

Grosseto – Port of Maremma/Marina di San Rocco

Castiglione della Pescaia – Marina Punta Ala

Rosignano Marittimo – Marina Cala dè Medici

Marciana Marina – Marciana Marina

Porto Azzurro – Marina Porto Azzurro

Pisa – Port of Pisa

VENETO

Rosolina – Marina di Albarella

San Michele al Tagliamento – Marina Resort Portobaseleghe

Venice – Venice Certosa Marina

Jesolo – Jesolo Tourist Port

Caorle – Clock Dock

Cavallino Treporti – Marina del Cavallino

Chioggia – Dock Le Sa