Overview
ISO 18725:2024 - Tourism and related services: Yacht harbours and dry stacks - Requirements for clean harbours and active biodiversity harbours specifies a strategic, practical framework for improving harbour cleanliness and protecting the environment and biodiversity in yacht harbours and dry stacks. The standard applies to maritime and inland yacht harbours, mixed-purpose harbours (recreational and fishing/trade), and dry stacks, and is applicable regardless of the public authority or management type. The document focuses on implementing a clean harbour policy and offers an optional “active biodiversity harbours” suite for more ambitious ecosystem protection measures.
Key topics and requirements
- Clean harbour policy statement: commitment by the yacht harbour operator to allocate financial, human and material resources and to communicate the policy to interested parties.
- Diagnostic study: a required preliminary assessment to establish a baseline covering the harbour and its environment, pollution sources and impacts, existing measures, quality objectives and an initial prioritized action programme. The study should be carried out by a recognized engineering/design office.
- Operational criteria (implementation): requirements cover pollution and waste treatment, sanitary facilities (showers, toilets, chemical toilet unloading), accidental pollution response, and management of water and energy resources. The standard includes structured operational tables and criteria to be met by the harbour.
- Training and communication: personnel training, user awareness, information provision and feedback handling are required elements to ensure sustained implementation.
- Strategic management: governance, resource allocation and progress tracking for the clean harbour approach.
- Optional active biodiversity suite: guidance on assessing the harbour’s area of influence, compiling ecological studies, selecting biodiversity solutions, project management and communication; annexes provide example actions for water/energy alternatives, communication and biodiversity preservation.
Practical applications - who uses this standard
- Yacht harbour operators and managers seeking to formalize environmental policies and operational controls.
- Marina designers, engineers and environmental consultants conducting diagnostic studies and designing pollution-control or biodiversity projects.
- Local authorities and port regulators referencing standard requirements for permitting or advisory purposes.
- Tourism and maritime service providers aiming to improve service sustainability and stakeholder communications.
- Certification bodies and auditors assessing conformity to clean harbour and biodiversity practices.
Related standards
- ISO 13687-1:2017 - Yacht harbours - Part 1: Minimum requirements for basic service level harbours
- ISO 13687-2:2017 - Yacht harbours - Part 2: Minimum requirements for intermediate service level harbours
ISO 18725:2024 is a practical tool for reducing marine pollution, improving sanitation, and integrating biodiversity-friendly practices into marina and dry stack operations.
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