Green Marine participants awarded for advancing whale-safe vessel speed practices

Five Green Marine participants have been recognized for their strong contributions to the 2025 Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) Season, which saw increased participation, expanded protected zones, and heightened award standards.

Between May 1, 2025, and January 15, 2026, the BWBS initiative recorded 787 vessels traveling more than 481,000 nautical miles at whale‑safer speeds of 10 knots or less along the California coast, an increase over the previous season. The program expanded its Vessel Speed Reduction zones to include the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, adding 2,600 square miles (roughly 6,734 square kilometres) of critical whale habitat. Award thresholds also rose, requiring fleets to achieve higher percentages of slow‑speed compliance to qualify.

Green Marine-certified participants CSL Americas and Seaspan Corporation were among the 22 shipping lines that received the Top Sapphire Award for achieving cooperation rates above 90%. Canfornav earned the Gold Award for maintaining a cooperation rate in the range of 70-to-89%. These results highlight the dedication of these participants to whale-safe transit practices despite scheduling demands and varying ocean conditions.

BWBS also recognized the program ambassadors that showed strong commitment to collaborating with participating shipping lines. These ambassadors helped raise awareness of responsible shipping practices and supported the efforts of top-performing carriers within the program. Among these award recipients, the Green Marine-certified participants were the Port of Hueneme and the Port of Oakland. They each respectively earned the Gold Award with 70-to-89% of their port calls made by participating lines, a clear sign of their engagement in sustainable maritime shipping.