Port of Vigo Vies for AIVP Antoine Rufenacht Award in Dunkirk

04/11/2026

• The highest port authority, Carlos Botana, is participating this week in the 21st World Conference of the International Association of Cities and Ports (AIVP) to present the success of projects such as "Atlántida."
• The Vigo terminal is vying for the prestigious AIVP Antoine Rufenacht Award against international candidates of the caliber of the ports of Los Angeles, Balears, and Cotonou (Benin).

The Port of Vigo aims to position itself at the forefront of international maritime sustainability during the 21st AIVP (International Association of Port Cities) World Conference, held this week in Dunkirk (France).

At this globally significant event, the Vigo institution will not only showcase its environmental and citizen integration model but will also compete in the final of the AIVP Antoine Rufenacht Award, considered the world's leading award—the "Oscars" of port-city integration—which recognizes the most innovative and sustainable urban and port strategies.

Vigo's candidacy is competing in this final phase with proposals presented by the ports of Los Angeles (United States), Ports de Balears (Spain), and Cotonou (Benin), a top-level showcase that endorses the leadership of the Galician port in ecological transition and the blue economy.

Presentation on Biodiversity and Citizen Participation

Within the framework of the summit, the president of the Port Authority of Vigo, Carlos Botana, will speak this afternoon as a presenter in the international session titled "The role of ports and cities in articulating biodiversity protection and citizen participation."

During his presentation, Botana will detail how years of applied scientific research and pilot tests have enabled the materialization of permanent infrastructures such as "Atlántida," a pioneering underwater structure aimed at restoring marine habitats and conceived as an open space for citizens to discover and appreciate the biological richness of the estuary. Since its opening last July, it has received over 32,000 visitors, of whom more than 1,200 belong to cultural associations, senior centers, associations for people with disabilities, and educational centers.

With its presence in Dunkirk and its nomination for the Antoine Rufenacht Award, whose winner will be announced tomorrow Thursday evening at a gala dinner, the Port of Vigo consolidates its international projection strategy, demonstrating that port activity is fully compatible with ecosystem care and social commitment to its environment. Of these, 1,240 (3.9%) belong to cultural associations, senior centers, associations for people with disabilities, and educational centers.

The International Association of Cities and Ports (AIVP) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1988 that brings together key urban and port stakeholders worldwide to conceive and build a sustainable, innovative, and responsible port city that places citizens at the center of action. AIVP currently groups more than 190 ports and cities from 49 countries.