The Clean Marina flag can now fly proudly above Nelson Marina having achieved Clean Marina accreditation through the New Zealand Marina Operators Association (NZMOA).

The right to fly the Clean Marina flag is held only by the marinas that have achieved the highest level of accreditation. Nelson Marina is one of only 10 in the country to accomplish this significant achievement.

Nelson Mayor Nick Smith says this Clean Marina accreditation is important in building Nelson’s credentials as a centre of excellence for sustainability and the Blue Economy.

“It provides independent verification that we are managing the biosecurity, wastewater, rubbish and emissions at the marina in a way that minimises the effects on the environment.

“This accreditation at the highest environment standard is important as we embark on Council’s ambitious plans to expand boat building and maintenance, berthage space and recreational facilities at the marina.”

Nelson Marina Manager Nigel Skeggs said it had taken three years of dedicated effort to enhance the marina’s environmental practices and promote sustainable marine operations to gain accreditation.

“Our accreditation as a Clean Marina reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire team. We are immensely proud of this achievement, which underscores our ongoing commitment to preserving the beauty of our coastal environment for future generations. We are excited to lead by example and inspire others in the industry to adopt similar practices.”

To receive certification, marinas are audited on factors such as the provision and promotion of recycling facilities, no discharge policies and enforcement of these policies, provisions for boat owners to facilitate regular hull cleaning, a thorough understanding of all processes within the marina operations and the use of sustainable materials in the maintenance and building of infrastructure.

Skeggs said the program sets a high benchmark for environmental stewardship.

“We’ve implemented regular monitoring of water quality and marine ecosystems; the hard stand area has a very robust filtration system that ensures all contaminants from boat cleaning and maintenance are treated and removed from surface water runoff before being sent to trade waste. During a rain event, all stormwater is also collected and filtered before being returned to the sea.

“In future we aim to store the filtered water and reuse it on site for hull cleaning, this will further reduce our use of water.”

“We are committed to disaster preparedness with the necessary equipment, including investing $10,000 in rapid deployment oil spill containment booms that allow us to completely surround any vessel within the marina during an emergency event. Staff training through Maritime NZ ensures the team are prepared to manage any contaminant spills in the water.”

To maintain Clean Marina status the facility must be independently audited bi-annually.

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