ITM Group attends the 1st Forum on a Sustainable Caribbean Sea

From October 20 to 24, the 1st Forum on a Sustainable Caribbean Sea was held in Cartagena de Indias, organized at the Spanish Cooperation Training Center. As an innovative platform, the forum brought together authorities, experts, and organizations to promote sustainable maritime and port development in the Caribbean.

The mission of this meeting is to foster cooperation, innovation, and environmental awareness, promoting a harmonious relationship between land, people, and the ocean. During the Forum, a call to action was made to protect mangroves and coral reefs and promote responsible blue growth.

Let’s talk about our participation

One of the main themes of the event was innovation, and for us, it is an honor to share our initiatives through Fundacion Genera ITM. Our first participation took place on October 21st, with Alicia Mateos, Director of Sustainability and Open Enterprise at ITM Group, in the panel “Innovative and Smart Ports” where she shared our vision of innovation, as well as the best practices carried out through Fundacion Genera ITM.

For ITM Group, innovation lies in smart destinations—where infrastructure, environmental management, and visitor experience are integrated under a single strategic vision toward sustainable tourism. Innovation means making tourism an authentic connection with local experiences that enrich cruise visitors’ journeys while leaving a positive impact on the community.

Alicia also shared our port governance model, which promotes ongoing dialogue among local government, the community, businesses, and civil and environmental organizations, ensuring transparent, inclusive, and co-responsible management of the port environment.

On October 24th, Lludy Terrero, Director of Fundacion Genera ITM in the Dominican Republic, participated in the panel “Success Stories for a Sustainable Caribbean Sea,” where she presented our main initiatives.

• Monitoring of the Bahia Honda Reef: This initiative, carried out in collaboration with Reef Check Dominicana, has demonstrated the stability of the coral ecosystem in the face of port operations.
• Circular Ports and Communities: Through this program, present in all our ports, we have prevented more than 205 tons of waste from reaching the sea. In addition, we promote responsible waste management in coastal communities. In Puerto Plata, more than 2,200 households have registered, and we have collected 2 tons of PET and HDPE bottles directly from homes.
• Port Governance: An example of this model is the Samana Sustainable Tourism Committee, a formal space that seeks to establish mechanisms for managing tourism carrying capacity and aligning port development with environmental conservation.

“Along the way, we have identified the need for inter-institutional coordination among local authorities, the private sector, environmental organizations, and the community, while also promoting infrastructure for the proper integrated waste management in coastal areas,” said Lludy Terrero.

The Forum on a Sustainable Caribbean Sea represented a successful and enriching day filled with learning and reflection for us. Connecting with a community committed to sustainable development in an industry we not only belong to but also deeply value is truly rewarding. The forum reaffirmed our commitment to continue creating innovative destinations and to always seek shared prosperity in our projects and the communities we serve.

We extend our gratitude to Victor Montero Suarez, Organizer of the 1st Blue Forum on a Sustainable Caribbean Sea, and Andrea Campos Roldan, International Secretary and Administrator of ASMAR, for their invitation. It is an honor to collaborate and share our vision with you.