Setting Sail for Sustainability: How Club Nàutic Estartit Champions EMAS in the Marina Sector

Can marinas be models of sustainability?  From cutting emissions to boosting marine life, Club Nàutic Estartit shows how EMAS empowers marinas to lead on sustainability and involve the whole community.

Club Nàutic Estartit, a non-profit nautical sports association founded in 1960 on Spain’s Costa Brava, demonstrates how even sensitive sectors like marina management can make tangible progress towards sustainability. The Club manages more than 650 moorings for vessels up to 45 metres, and offers services such as port facilities, a fuel station, shipyard and technical area, a restaurant, car parking, and a wide range of nautical activities. With over 60 years of history within the Montgrí, Medes Islands and Baix Ter Natural Park, the Club is committed to combining tradition, sport, and innovation with a strong responsibility for environmental protection. 

Recognising the unique challenges of operating within a protected natural area, Club Nàutic Estartit adopted the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) back in 2004. EMAS provided the Club with a structured framework to embed sustainability into its everyday operations—helping it go beyond compliance and build trust through transparency and third-party verification.

Measurable Gains on the Water and Ashore

Since the adoption of EMAS, sustainability has become central to the Club’s management model. Being located within a protected natural area, Club Nàutic Estartit focused its early efforts on resource efficiency, process optimisation, and staff engagement. EMAS also enabled systematic monitoring and set the stage for broader sustainability initiatives. Club Nàutic Estartit continuously monitors its consumption of water, energy, fuel and emissions, reduces waste generations, and implements projects to project marine biodiversity.

The results speak for themselves:

• Energy: Electricity consumption dropped by 12.56% (three-year average), with 52.56 MWh of solar energy now produced annually for self-consumption.
• Fuels: Fossil fuel use was reduced by 8.24%.
• Waste: Hazardous waste was cut by more than 90%, thanks to improved management and staff awareness.
• Carbon footprint: In 2023, CO₂ emissions were down 9% (92.28 tonnes) compared to the three-year average, and 15% per moored vessel.
• Biodiversity: Initiatives like the Bio Boosting System and Projecte Sèpia have increased marine biomass by 300%, species variety by 110%, and CO₂ fixation by 300%.

Anchoring Sustainability in the Community

But the Club’s commitment goes beyond technical achievements. Environmental education and awareness are woven into daily life—through staff training, visitor activities, and regular updates on its blog. Collaborations with academia, environmental organisations, and local businesses have sparked innovative biodiversity projects and the introduction of electric boats for low-impact, eco-friendly tourism. These efforts not only reduce the Club’s direct impact but also engage users and the wider community in responsible behaviour.

Looking to the future, Club Nàutic Estartit plans to further expand electric vehicle charging, install a desalination plant to tackle water scarcity, and further boost building energy efficiency and biodiversity actions. Ongoing climate training and awareness campaigns will remain at the heart of its strategy, ensuring that marina and tourism activities remain compatible with the protection of one of the Mediterranean’s most valuable ecosystems.

A Beacon for the Sector

The case of Club Nàutic Estartit shows that EMAS can support steady progress and continuous improvement, even in sectors with unique environmental sensitivities. Their journey highlights that with the right framework, even small and medium-sized organisations can lead the way in environmental excellence – setting a course for a more sustainable future in the marina sector and beyond.