Two ports operated by Global Ports Holding (GPH) have been awarded Green Port certification in recognition of their environmental and corporate responsibility credentials, according to a news release from GPH.

The certificates were presented to Aziz Güngör, General Manager of Ege Port Kuşadası and Bodrum Cruise Port, by the minister of Transportation, Maritime Affairs and Communications of Turkey, in a ceremony held in Ankara last month.

The two cruise ports are the first in Turkey to achieve this milestone, according to GPH.

Kuşadası first applied for Green Port accreditation in 2012 and Bodrum Cruise Port in 2014.

Aziz Güngör, General Manager of Ege Port Kuşadası and Bodrum Cruise Port, said: “These two ports are in critical locations for cruise tourism in Turkey and the wider Eastern Mediterranean region. We have an important mission to help to support the development of cruise tourism in the area. Our ecological credentials are an important mark of quality and these Green Port certificates underline the progress we have made in this respect.”

Emre Sayın, CEO of Global Ports Holding said: “We currently operate 14 ports across eight countries, with ambitious plans to expand our operations further in Asia and the Caribbean. As we continue to grow and apply our unique business model, it is rewarding to get acknowledgement of the high levels of environmental and corporate responsibility that we have demonstrated. We are delighted that Ege Port Kuşadası and Bodrum Cruise Port have been recognized in this manner. As a global brand, we have made the principle of contributing to the communities in which we operate, including environmental considerations, a key element of our business model.”