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Good day,
We’re pleased to share Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) spring quarterly newsletter, featuring 2025 Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) Season environmental benefits results, new ambassadors joining us, latest news, events, and what’s ahead.
| Big Impact: 2025 Program Environmental Benefits Results are Out | |
As highlighted in an article in Tradewinds, the 2025 program delivered significant environmental benefits: 787 vessels across 44 global shipping lines voluntarily traveled at whale-safer speeds more than 481,000 nautical miles (more distance than a trip to the moon and back!) helping protect marine life and coastal air quality. Researchers from the University of Washington, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Starcrest Consulting Group found the 2025 Season impact included:
- 40% lower risk of fatal ship strikes
- 70% decrease in underwater acoustic intensity
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1,491 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx), 8.9 tons of diesel particulate matter (DPM), and 37 tons of sulfur oxides (SOx) reduced
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55,771 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions reduced
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These impressive results demonstrate how voluntary cooperation from the maritime industry continues to advance safer whales, cleaner air, and a quieter ocean along the California coast.
Thank you to all the participating shipping lines for their exceptional efforts! See the full list of participating shipping lines and the full environmental impact report here.
| Welcoming New Ambassadors! | We are thrilled to welcome four new ambassadors that have joined us since our last newsletter! |
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Sofar Ocean is the leading ocean intelligence platform operating the world’s largest real-time ocean network.
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Thai Union, including its operating companies Chicken of the Sea International, Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods and U.S. Pet Nutrition, has been a leader in the global seafood industry for nearly 50 years.
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Santa Barbara Zoo is a leader in wildlife conservation, education, and community engagement, advancing efforts to conserve biodiversity and ecosystems in California and around the world.
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Standard Solar is a nationally recognized leader advancing renewables through the development, funding, ownership, and operation of commercial and community solar projects nationwide.
Ambassadors include companies that work with participating shipping lines and work to celebrate their efforts, amplify the program, and drive demand for responsible shipping. See here for the full list of ambassadors and email becca@CaliforniaMSF.org for more information.
| 2025 Season Award Ceremony | |
On Earth Day, BWBS celebrated industry efforts over the 2025 Season. The event highlighted the cumulative impact of voluntary cooperation and honored California Assemblymember Gregg Hart for his leadership and support with Assembly Bill 14, which expanded the program statewide. Attendees heard from top-performing shipping lines across the container, car carrier, and bulk carrier sectors, alongside BWBS ambassadors helping advance more responsible shipping and supply chain practices.
| Professional photos from the event - thanks to Adam Ernster - can be downloaded here. (Please note, there are almost 300 photos, so please give the folder a minute to load.) See the full article featured in an article in gCaptain. |
2026 VSR Season Kicked Off | |
April 22 also kicked off the 2026 voluntary VSR Season. From April 22 through December 31, oceangoing vessels 300 gross tons (GT) or larger are requested to travel at 10 knots or less within the VSR zone to help reduce fatal whale strikes, underwater noise, and air pollution.
The 2026 Season includes an updated California-wide VSR zone, expanded award eligibility tiers to support industry transition, and - for the first time - welcomes cruise lines to enroll. More details about the 2026 VSR program, transitional update, map, and award tier updates are here.
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Technical Advisory Working Sessions | |
BWBS is launching a series of technical advisory working sessions for shipping lines and other maritime industry leaders.
The first session will be held on June 4th from 1-3pm PST to address parameters of the 2026 Season and provide an overview of the technical details that informed the development of the expanded 2026 zone. Please reach out to kelly@californiamsf.org if you would like to participate and have not already received details.
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Ales for Whales
May 2nd, Santa Cruz
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Underwater Parks Day
January 17th, Santa Barbara
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16th Annual Whale Fest - Benefits of VSR in Monterey Bay
April 12th, Monterey
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Ship strike Workshop with Benioff and the International Whaling Commission
April 12th, London
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May 25 | Virtual, Taiwan
BWBS' Kelly Tseng will join the workshop to share the context of BWBS and how voluntary, recognition-based incentive models can reduce ship strike risk. The workshop will explore how lessons from BWBS may help inform prevention efforts in different regions, and for other at-risk species.
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ACS Speaker Series featuring BWBS
May 28 | Webinar, Orange County
BWBS' Danielle Alvarez and Becca Tucker will be presenting to the Orange County Chapter of the American Cetacean Society to share the context of the program, including latest results and new resources like the Whale Atlas. Webinar details can be found here.
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June 8-10 | Town & Country Resort, San Diego
BWBS will be exhibiting at Sustainable Brands to share the program’s impact and promote the Ambassador Program and explain how brands can prioritize shipping with participating shipping lines to help protect whales and air quality.
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June 9-11 | Quebec City Convention Centre, Canada
BWBS' Danielle Alvarez will attend and share a poster highlighting the success and impact of BWBS and how our program contributes to the ecological transition and the environmental performance of maritime transport.
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June 23-25 | Moscone West, San Francisco
BWBS' Jessica Morten will join a panel discussion on CMSF and Sonos' Sound Sanctuaries campaign to share about the program’s impact around underwater noise reduction and how more companies can get involved in ocean soundscape protection.
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See all the latest earned media and press releases here.
| | Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) is a collaborative effort by the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation; Ventura County Air Pollution Control District; Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District; San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District; Monterey Bay Air Resources District; San Diego County Air Pollution Control District; Bay Area Air District; Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control Distrct; Channel Islands, Chumash Heritage, Greater Farallones, Cordell Bank, and Monterey Bay national marine sanctuaries; Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory; and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. | | A partnership for safer whales, cleaner air, and a quieter ocean. | | | | |
