Luz Marina Espiau Moreno, MedCruise Board Member and Head of Commercial and Business Development at Ports of Tenerife, has played an active role in the ongoing development of the IAPH Sustainable Cruise Port Accreditation, a global initiative designed to establish a common sustainability framework for cruise port operations worldwide.
During the IAPH Technical Committee Days, held in Singapore from 22 to 24 April, Espiau participated in several technical committees alongside international port and cruise industry leaders, addressing key topics such as digitalisation, energy transition, infrastructure development and data collaboration.
Her participation reflects months of ongoing involvement within the international working group responsible for designing the accreditation model.
Advancing a global cruise accreditation framework
One of the key milestones of the week was the Cruise Accreditation Workshop, which focused on defining the first set of indicators and requirements for sustainable cruise port operations.
The session was led by Simone Maraschi and brought together leading industry representatives, including Brian Beall, ensuring alignment between ports and cruise lines throughout the framework development process.
Espiau contributed a practical and operational perspective, highlighting the importance of developing solutions that reflect the realities of port operations while supporting long-term sustainability goals.
A holistic sustainability model
The accreditation framework currently under development is structured around key pillars aligned with IAPH’s working areas:
- Digitalisation
- Community building and port-city integration
- Infrastructure
- Health, safety and security
- Climate and energy
This approach aims to create a comprehensive and globally applicable model capable of measuring both operational performance and sustainability impact.
Ports as connectors of sustainable growth
A distinctive aspect of Espiau’s contribution has been her expertise in community building, highlighting the role of ports as connectors between public and private stakeholders.
Her approach reinforces the importance of:
- Integrated decision-making
- Data-driven collaboration
- Alignment between ports, cruise lines and local communities
Reinforcing MedCruise’s role in global industry dialogue
Through her participation, Espiau continues to strengthen MedCruise’s presence in global industry discussions while helping position the association and its members at the forefront of future sustainability standards.
These elements are increasingly recognised as essential for building more sustainable and efficient cruise operations.
Her dual role — combining operational leadership at Ports of Tenerife with strategic international involvement — reflects the growing importance of Mediterranean and Atlantic ports in shaping the future of the cruise industry.
Next steps
Following the sessions in Singapore, the IAPH working group will continue refining the accreditation framework with the objective of developing a globally recognised system for sustainable cruise port operations.
