The Consolidated Text of the Law on State Ports and the Merchant Marine (Royal Legislative Decree 2/2011, of September 5) is based, to influence the improvement and efficiency of the global service provided to commerce and transport, in the certification of services, using it as an objectifying instrument for bonuses in port fees linked to an improvement in the quality of the provision of services in ports of general interest. In article 245 section 2 b) of the aforementioned Consolidated Text, a 15 percent discount is established to the activity rate quota for providers of port services, or holders of a concession or authorization of a Maritime Freight Terminal, or of maritime stations, which have a certification of services obtained on the basis of the Quality of Service References approved by State Ports, or the Specific References that, in development of those, approve, where appropriate, by the Port Authority correspondent.
The certification will be issued by the corresponding certification body, which must be duly accredited by the National Accreditation Entity (ENAC), in accordance with UNE-EN 45011. Initially, in order to address and complete the accreditation process, State Ports gives the corresponding authorization to the certification bodies.
The Alicante Port Authority has approved to date the following Specific References, in development of the Quality of Service References approved by State Ports, which contain the quality of service characteristics that serve as a reference for a third-party certification to the that can be voluntarily submitted by port service providers, or holders of a concession or authorization of a maritime freight terminal, or a maritime station, who wish to contribute to the improvement of the quality of service offered by the port and benefit from the aforementioned bonus in the activity fee: