We work hard to provide our participants and the public with the necessary information to stay informed about sustainable shipping practices along the West Coast.
We work hard to provide our participants and the public with the necessary information to stay informed about sustainable shipping practices along the West Coast.
Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Resources
Media
2022 Season Brochure summarizes the 2022 vessel speed reduction season results
Ambassador Brochure summarizes the Ambassador program
Social Shareables graphics and captions that can be downloaded and shared on social media
Videos videos and webinars about the program
Press recent articles and press releases
2023 Season Press Report summarizes 2023 press coverage about the program
Community Support page includes additional templates, links, and ways to get involved
Scientific Research
Ship strikes are one of the primary threats to large whales along the U.S. west coast and around the world.
Reducing speeds of large vessels have been shown to reduce the risk of fatal ship strikes on large whales.
Reducing large vessel speeds reduces underwater noise.
Reducing the speeds of large vessels decreases fuel consumption, leading to a decrease in harmful air emissions and greenhouse gases.
Regulatory changes have been proven to have a significant impact on vessel behavior.
Tools
NOAA Voluntary VSR Advisory The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with support from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) annually issues voluntary Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) requests that go into effect May 1 to December 15 off San Francisco, Monterey, and Southern California.
Whale Safe website hosted by the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory shows vessel transit and whale data in the Southern California Bight Region
SmartWay a Blue Whales Blue Skies Partner, is an Environmental Protection Agency program to help cargo owners improve their supply chains
Pacific Maritime Management Services tracks and manages vessel transits to optimize port/vessel operations, enhance maritime safety and reduce environmental impacts
Other VSR Programs and Legislation