The Blue Flag was ceremoniously raised at the ACI Marina Cres

On Wednesday, June 11, the Blue Flag, one of the most recognizable symbols of environmental protection, was solemnly raised at the ACI Marina Cres, officially marking its 26th year of continuously meeting the highest environmental and safety standards. The Blue Flag was raised by long-time employee of the ACI Marina Cres Nedjeljko Brizar and guest of the marina Figen Frank. The Blue Flag raising ceremony was attended by the Mayor of the Town of Cres Marin Gregorović, Harbour Master of the Cres Port Office Damir Kocijan, owner of the The Isolano Hotel Nikola Avram, former Minister of Tourism Gari Capelli, Director of the ACI Marina Cres and Regional Director of ACI Marinas for the Kvarner Region Alan Šepuka, and Head of Corporate Communications at ACI Adriana Mišković.

This year's national Blue Flag award ceremony was held on Friday, May 23, in Makarska. The ceremony was also attended by ACI representatives, including the director of ACI Marina Trogir Ante Bačić, the director of ACI Marinas Palmižana and Vrboska Rino Krstić, the head of reception of ACI Marina Split Priscilla Zelić Čarija, and the receptionist of ACI Marina Split Ružica Soldo Nicolae.

"The Blue Flag that flies at ACI Marina Cres this year is a confirmation of our long-standing commitment to preserving the sea and the environment. This recognition reflects our daily efforts to raise the standards of sustainable business. ACI Marina Cres, known for its natural beauty and high level of service, stands out with innovations such as the solar bench and the Morska škovacera device that removes floating waste daily. We believe that sustainability starts locally – through cooperation with the community and the application of green technologies, making ACI a leader in the green transition of the nautical sector", He said Alan Sepuka, director of ACI marina Cres and regional director of ACI marina Kvarner region.

Blue flags are flown in all year-round ACI marinas and ACI Marina Rab, and represent the most recognized model of environmental education, training and public awareness, awarded by the Lijepa Naša Association under the auspices of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). ACI Marina Cres also stands out with numerous other awards, including second place in the action Tourist flower - quality for Croatia 2009 and 2010, prestigious recognition Golden anchor 2020 and a special award Golden smile 2021 for the friendliest staff. As part of the campaign Nautical sail Jutarnji list, the marina also received recognition for the best additional content offer in 2022, while in 2023 it was awarded With the golden smile of the Adriatic for the friendliest staff among Croatian marinas, an award presented by the Nautical Patrol. In addition, ACI Marina Cres was awarded the 2023 Nautical Sail Award for Environmental Protection and Ecology, confirming the long-standing continuous contribution of ACI Marina Cres to preserving the cleanliness of the sea and the underwater world.

ACI has been at the forefront of the green transition of the nautical sector for years, and concern for the sea and the environment has been woven into all segments of its business. Through projects such as Become a Posidonia Guardian, protect the precious feathers and implement high-tech solutions such as the Sea Snail device, which actively contributes to the preservation of the marine ecosystem. Environmental responsibility is also confirmed by numerous international ISO certificates, and regular cleaning campaigns and educational programs further highlight ACI as a sustainability leader in the nautical sector. As part of its efforts to reduce resource consumption and a greener future, ACI launched an energy efficiency project in 2015 in partnership with the company Rudan doo. Through the advanced Aquacontrol system, focused on automatic monitoring of water and energy consumption, timely detection of losses and significant savings are enabled.

Another key tool is Energo Monitor, a sophisticated system that provides a detailed overview of energy consumption in real time, identifies areas for additional savings, and educates employees and customers on efficient energy management. ACI was also among the first to introduce electric vehicle charging stations in its marinas, including Cres, further supporting the goals of the European Green Deal and the Low Carbon Development Strategy of the Republic of Croatia.