Marine Care Association brought its international community together in Barcelona on 21 October 2026 for its Annual General Assembly, followed by a visit to the Port of Barcelona on the following day.
The gathering welcomed members from across the globe, providing an opportunity to catch up on the association’s latest activities, discuss recent developments in the ship waste management sector and exchange perspectives on the challenges facing Port Reception Facilities (PRFs).
Bringing our international community together
Marine Care Association’s Annual General Assembly is an important opportunity for members to reconnect, share experiences and discuss the developments shaping the sector.
Bringing together professionals with different backgrounds, expertise and regional perspectives allows our community to better understand the realities of ship waste management across the world. Through these exchanges, members can identify common challenges, learn from one another and explore opportunities for collaboration.
The discussions also provided an opportunity to reflect on the association’s activities and priorities, while strengthening the relationships that contribute to our international network.
Insights from the Port of Barcelona and CDNI
Barcelona provided a particularly relevant setting for this year’s gathering, given the importance of its cruise ship activity and the challenges associated with managing waste generated by cruise ships and ferries.
We were pleased to welcome Hector Calls Martínez, Director of Environment, Sustainability and Energy Transition at the Port of Barcelona, who shared insights into the port’s approach to cruise waste management.
His presentation highlighted the Port of Barcelona’s best-practice model for cruise waste management, as well as an innovative project aimed at producing biomethane from the organic fraction of waste collected from cruise ships and ferries.
This initiative provided an interesting example of how port operations can contribute to resource recovery and the development of more sustainable waste management practices.
We also welcomed Julia Schoppe, who presented the CDNI’s indirect fee system.
Together with contributions from our members, these presentations offered valuable perspectives on different approaches to ship waste management and highlighted the importance of sharing expertise and experiences across regions.
The exchanges reinforced the value of bringing together our international community to discuss common challenges and learn from the practices implemented in different parts of the world.
Discovering the Port of Barcelona
On the following day, our community had the opportunity to discover the Port of Barcelona from the water during a boat tour.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Carles Rúa Costa and the Port of Barcelona for making this visit possible and giving our members the opportunity to experience the port from a different perspective.
The visit provided a valuable opportunity to discover the port’s activities and gain a better understanding of its operations, particularly in the context of its significant cruise ship activity.
It also offered a moment for our members to continue exchanging experiences and strengthening connections outside the formal discussions of the General Assembly.
Strengthening our community
Beyond the meetings and presentations, our time in Barcelona was an opportunity to reconnect with members, welcome different perspectives and continue building a collaborative international network dedicated to ship waste management.
We would like to thank all our members, guest speakers, the Port of Barcelona and Carles Rúa Costa, as well as everyone who contributed to making this gathering a success.
Marine Care Association remains committed to bringing its community together, encouraging the exchange of knowledge and promoting sustainable ship waste management practices worldwide.
Together, we continue to strengthen our international community and work towards more sustainable ship waste management.
