Since 2014 we have helped companies reduce the environmental impact of shipping along the coast of California.
We monitor the speeds of hundreds of vessels that pass through the VSR zones each year. Utilizing a fleet-based approach, we assign a recognition level to each of our shipping company participants based on the percentage of their vessels that travel at a speed of 10 knots or less. Traveling at this speed has been found to significantly reduce both the risk of fatal whale strikes and harmful air pollution emissions such as smog-forming chemicals and greenhouse gases.
The program runs each year from mid-May to mid-November to coincide with peak ozone and whale feeding and migration. The program covers two geographic regions, one along the Southern California coast and one outside the San Francisco Bay Area.
Explore our current list of participants here.
Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies is run by a unique partnership of federal and local government agencies, foundations, and environmental nonprofits.
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We work closely with researchers and consultants to independently verify the benefits of the program.
We are an affiliate of the Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay Program. SmartWay helps companies advance supply chain sustainability by measuring, benchmarking, and improving freight transportation efficiency.
