The Greening Award Initiative, set up to celebrate the sustainability actions that are carried out and developed across more than 300 authorities that make up the European Coast Guard community, has just ended its first edition.

The Initiative is jointly organised by the three European agencies tasked with supporting national authorities carrying out Coast Guard Functions: the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).

It recognises projects and activities developed by authorities carrying out Coast Guard Functions which empower a green transition, contribute to a more sustainable future, and which directly or indirectly support the goals of the European Green Deal.

The winners and special commendations were announced at the Annual European Coast Guard Event, organised by EFCA, and held on 25-27 June.

The categories are:

Greening Operations:

Winner: Grand Harbour Clean Air Project, Malta

Special Commendation, Technical Excellence: Patrol boats for fishing inspection & surveillance and Short/mid-range system for fisheries inspection & surveillance (joint project), Spain

Special Commendation, Sustainable Impact: Remote measurements for SOx and NOx monitoring, Belgium

Special Commendation, Sustainable Transformation: Hybrid propulsion naval units for Venice, Italy

Outreach and awareness:

Winner: Seawatchers, Denmark

Special commendation, Community outreach: Baltic Sea Animal Rehabilitation Centre, Lithuania

Special commendation, Next Generation: Clean Harbour Cherbourg Project, France

Greening at Work:

Winner: Working Together Towards a Greener Europe Project, Belgium

Special commendation: Naval fleet green update project and Guardia di Finanza: towards an eco-sustainable future (joint project), Italy

Stewardship of the Seas:

Winner: RPAS in the Mediterranean project, Italy

Special commendation: Protecting Seagrass Meadows project, Portugal

Honourable Mention: Future Sustainable Vision

Heroinas de Salvora, Spain

OPV 2025, Finland

Greening the Blue, Sweden