On Friday the 16th of January The Green Award Foundation announced the Port of Sohar to be the first port in the Middle East to receive the Green Award license. The plaque together with the Green Award flag was handed over at a ceremony by Jan Fransen the CEO of the foundation to Mr Hans Smits, the CEO of Port of Rotterdam and Mr Jamal Aziz, Deputy CEO of Sohar Industrial Port Company SAOC (SIPC). SIPC is a 50/50 joint venture between the Government of the Sultanate of Oman and the Port of Rotterdam.

The Green Award Foundation was founded by the Port of Rotterdam and the Dutch Ministry of Transport and Water management in 1994. The Dutch Ministry of Transport and Water management uses Green Award often as a good example of a governmental initiative to improve and protect the marine environment and uses Green Award proudly as stem picture. Green Award is a Dutch organization and completely independent, neutral and self supporting.

By rewarding high safety and environmental standards in shipping, Green Award makes above standard ship operation economically more attractive. The Green Award certification scheme is open to crude oil and product tankers and dry bulk carriers from 20.000 DWT and upwards. Currently 221 ships are certified.

The Green Award procedure is carried out by the Bureau Green Award, the executive body of the independent non-profit Green Award Foundation. The certification procedure consists of an office audit and an audit of each individual ship applying for certification. Amongst many others, the assessment focuses on crew, operational, environmental and managerial elements.

At ports in Belgium, Canada, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal and South Africa, the Green Award vessels receive a considerable reduction on port dues. The Port of Sohar will be the next port to enter the Green Award Scheme.

Private companies also appreciate the extra quality which Green Award guarantees. Several incentive providers, government institutions as well as private companies, grant savings to a vessel with a Green Award certificate, which subject to annual verification, is valid for three years.