Port of Oakland steps up to safeguard endangered whales

Expanding its commitment to sustainable operations, the Port of Oakland has become an ambassador for Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS), a collaborative initiative to reduce ship strikes with endangered whales and to improve air quality along the California coast.

The BWBS program encourages voluntary Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) in ecologically sensitive coastal zones between May and December, which is when whale migration takes place and ozone levels are at their peak. Participating ships are asked to travel at or below 10 knots in the designated areas. This practice helps to reduce fatal whale strikes, underwater noise, and emissions – all of which aligns with several Green Marine performance indicators that the Port of Oakland is actively working to further improve.

As an ambassador, the port will actively promote the program and encourage broader participation from the shipping lines that call at its terminals. This effort builds on the involvement of twelve major carriers, including Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, Evergreen, and Hapag-Lloyd, which together accounted for 84% of all vessel calls at the port last year.

By joining the program, the port becomes part of a broad alliance of government agencies, foundations and environmental non-profits working together to protect biodiversity and coastal communities through responsible shipping practices.