Vessels are critical to our economy, with over 80% of the world’s trade facilitated by the maritime industry. The average container ship measures approximately four football fields, carrying about 15,000 standard 20-foot containers. These vessels carry goods and materials across the world’s oceans, often overlapping with important habitat for marine life. For marine species like whales, which have not evolved to avoid these massive ships, this can result in deadly collisions known as ship strikes. Ship strikes are a major contributor of mortality to whales around the globe and are especially of concern in whale hotspots that overlap with major international shipping routes. However, if large vessels reduce their speeds to 10 knots or less in these areas when the likelihood of whale presence is highest, the risk of fatal strikes is reduced by 50% or more. Furthermore, reduced speeds result in fewer emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases. This is why Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) works to incentivize global shipping lines to voluntarily participate in vessel speed reduction measures in key areas off of the California coast.
The Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) Season is designed to coincide with endangered whale migration as well as peak ozone seasons for California coastal communities. In the 2024 Season, BWBS verified that 743 vessels, across 49 of the world’s largest shipping lines, opted-in to reduce their speeds. BWBS’ 2024 Season – the program’s 10-year anniversary – was the most significant yet, marking a jump in total participating shipping lines – from 33 to 49 – and an increase in distance traveled at “whale-safer” speeds.
Shipping Lines Ranked In Top Tier for Performance Almost Doubles
In 2024, the number of shipping lines that qualified for the top award tier (“Sapphire,” with 85%+ total miles traveled in the VSR zones at 10 knots or less) almost doubled from the prior season, from 13 to 23. They are:
CMA CGM; Connaught Shipmanagement HK; COSCO Shipping; CSL Americas; Hong Kong Top Honor Shipping; ISM Ship Management Ltd; Maersk; Marathon Petroleum; MSC; NYK Ro-Ro; Ocean Network Express; OOCL; OSG Ship Management, Inc.; Pilion Navigation; ConocoPhillips – Polar Tankers; Starbulk SA; STX Marine Service Co; Swire Shipping; Teo Shipping Corporation; Tomini Transports LLC; Toyofuji; Wallenius Wilhelmsen; and Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp.
The shipping lines that qualified for the next award tier (Gold, 60-84% cooperation rate) included:
Campbell Shipping Company, D’Amico Group; Dockendale; Empire Bulker Ltd.; Evergreen; Hapag-Lloyd; HMC Shipmanagement Co Ltd; Hyundai Glovis; K Line; Mol ACE; Pacific Basin Shipping Ltd. ; Raffles Shipmanagement Services; Scorpio Group; Temm Maritime Co Ltd; Unisea Shipping Ltd; Venture Shipping Ltd; Veritas Shipmanagement and Wan Hai.
Overall Fleet Cooperation Continues to Rise
In 2024, cumulative program cooperation rates continued to trend upward in both the San Francisco and Southern California VSR zones. Program-wide, 85% of the total distance traveled by participating vessels – equating to 425,981 nautical miles – was traveled at the requested whale-safer speeds of 10 knots or less. Out of all of the traffic traveling within the VSR zones, 78% of all container ships and 97% of all auto/RORO ships elected to participate in the BWBS program.
Reflecting on a Decade of Collaboration for Safer Whales, Cleaner Air, and a Quieter Ocean.
The release of the record-breaking 2024 season results is a fitting celebration of the 10th anniversary of BWBS. In honor of the anniversary, partners reflected on the impact, context, and lessons learned.
- “This work really revealed participants’ genuine commitment to whale protection that goes far beyond what many might expect given the program’s voluntary nature. What’s particularly surprising has been the depth of engagement from some shipping companies — they’re tracking progress closely throughout the season and actively seeking ways to improve in real time. I’ve come to really appreciate just how hard many ship captains and crew are willing to work to avoid hitting a whale, while balancing tight schedules and economic pressure. We’re grateful for the industry’s leadership and for working with us on prioritizing whale protection amid complex logistical demands. This willingness to adapt operations gives me hope for a future where ships and whales coexist in an increasingly crowded ocean.” — Rachel Rhodes, Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory
- “Starting in 2018, when BWBS began its fleetwide evaluation for participating companies, air quality monitoring in Ventura County showed some of the cleanest years in modern history. In 2020, Ventura County attained the 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone by the deadline, a result I believe would not have been possible without the NOx emissions reductions from the program.” — Tyler Harris, Ventura County Air Pollution Control District
- “For the last 10 years, this voluntary program has shown what impressive environmental benefits can be achieved through partnerships. As an air district, we recognize the significant improvements in air quality for our communities through this program. As voluntary cooperation of vessel operators has grown from 27% in the 2017 program to 85% participation in 2024, we have been able to reduce more than 4,500 tons of smog-forming pollution and more than 153,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases. These air quality wins are shared with wins for the magnificent whales that mean so much to us all. We’re proud to be a founding partner of Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies and look forward to what further environmental benefits this program brings.” – Aeron Arlin Genet, Executive Director, Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District
- “To whales, sound is everything. Ninety percent of the ocean is pitch black, and whales have evolved over the millennia to use sound for their daily life functions. Whales use sound to navigate, communicate, and keep in contact with each other during long migrations. However, noise pollution from ships disrupts these essential behaviors, threatening their ability to thrive in today’s increasingly noisy oceans. One proven solution is vessel speed reduction, an effective operational measure to mitigate noise impacts on whales. BWBS has shown that reducing vessel speed significantly decreases ship noise pollution, with an approximate reduction of 1 decibel per knot. Implementing vessel speed reduction programs, like BWBS, in regions with high whale presence is a crucial step in mitigating the harmful effects of chronic noise pollution and protecting these vulnerable species.” —- Dr. Vanessa ZoBell, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- “Our success lies not only in measurable environmental benefits, but also in our innovative, collaborative, and adaptive approach. By combining PR incentives, real-time performance tracking, and multi-stakeholder partnerships, the program has set a benchmark for voluntary conservation initiatives worldwide. Its lesser-known features, such as the Ambassador Program and Mid-Season evaluations, highlight the program’s forward-thinking design and potential for continued growth.” — Robert Mazurek, California Marine Sanctuary Foundation
- “Our mariners and teams ashore want to minimize environmental impacts, especially on whales, air quality and the climate. BWBS is an exceptional voluntary collaboration that provides our ships clear instructions and tracking data on how to do that – first in the Santa Barbara Channel and more recently across many of the marine sanctuaries on the California coast. Thank you BWBS for working with us to make that happen!” Lee Kindberg, Maersk, Head of Environment & Sustainability for North America (retired).
- “The success of BWBS shows that voluntary, science-based collaboration between businesses, public stakeholders, and agencies can lead to mutual benefits. This model of recognition-driven action could be applied to other challenges—such as mitigating air pollution from transportation sectors, improving wildfire smoke resilience in communities, or reducing plastic pollution in oceans. By focusing on shared benefits and finding common ground, we can tackle environmental problems in ways that work for both industry and conservation.” – Andy Mutziger, Division Manager, San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District
- “Wherever ships, whales and coastal communities overlap is an area of opportunity for BWBS to protect whales from ship strikes and ocean noise, improve the air we breathe and maintain ocean commerce. In the near term, BWBS aims to work with the same ships and whales found off California that transit through the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary off Washington. Along the eastern seaboard where NOAA regulates vessel speed ships and whales would also benefit fromBWBS recognition incentives and co-benefits analysis. The high level of voluntary shipping industry cooperation is a testament to the strength of the BWBS coalition, our team’s skilled ship tracking and environmental benefit verification capacity, the power of effective awareness campaigns, and of course, the power of companies willing to be leaders in environmental protection. Expanding this program for whales, people and the planet is not only necessary but well within our capacity. – Sean Hastings, Co-Founder Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies
About BWBS
BWBS is a collaborative partnership among federal and local government agencies, foundations, and environmental nonprofits, including the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation; the Bay Area Air Quality Management District; Santa Barbara County, Ventura County, and San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control Districts; Monterey Bay Air Resources District; Channel Islands, Monterey Bay, Greater Farallones, and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries; and Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory. Container, car carrier, bulk and fuel carrier ships are eligible to participate in BWBS, which complements the NOAA, U.S. Coast Guard, and Environmental Protection Agency voluntary requests for all vessels 300 gross tons or larger to reduce speeds during the months of peak air pollution and endangered blue, humpback, and fin whale abundance to protect them from one of their top threats — fatal ship strikes – and to reduce air pollution. For more information about how to enroll, how BWBS verifies cooperation and what types of companies and entities are eligible for the ambassador program, visit: www.bluewhalesblueskies.org.
For shipping companies and bulk operators interested in learning more, contact Jess Morten at jessica.morten@noaa.gov. For logistics companies, freight forwarders, ports and product companies interested in learning about our Ambassador program, contact Becca Tucker, at becca@californiaMSF.org.
