Ambassadors<\/a>\u00a0with 90% or more of eligible shipments with participating lines over the past year also received whale tail awards. They were: The Block Logistics, Who Gives A Crap, Eggboards, Nomad, and JAS Worldwide. Port of Hueneme was also recognized for the majority of ships calling on the port being enrolled with BWBS.<\/p>\nGold award lines \u2013 meaning their fleets transited 60% – 84% of the time at 10 knots or less in the VSR zones \u2013 recognized were: Campbell Shipping Company, D’Amico Group; Dockendale; Empire Bulker Ltd.; Evergreen; Hapag-Lloyd; HMC Shipmanagement Co Ltd; Hyundai Glovis; K Line; Mol ACE; Pacific Basin Shipping Ltd.; Raffles Shipmanagement Services; Scorpio Group; Temm Maritime Co Ltd; Unisea Shipping Ltd; Venture Shipping Ltd; Veritas Shipmanagement and Wan Hai.<\/p>\n
Shipping lines that volunteer to participate in the BWBS program reduce their speed along stretches of the California coast. In doing so, they help reduce the risk of fatal ship strikes on endangered whales, ocean noise, and air pollution and greenhouse gases. The program has dramatically advanced voluntary participation, research, and opportunities to protect both marine and human life in California\u2019s coastal communities. Over the last 10 seasons, the environmental benefits brought by BWBS have only grown, and in recent years, the program has expanded to include company ambassadors that work with participating shipping lines and commit to helping promote responsible shipping.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In honor of the program\u2019s 10-year anniversary, special recognition was given across several categories. Evergreen, CMA CGM, and K-line were recognized for their leadership in sharing the most whale-sighting information with BWBS over time. MSC was honored for achieving the Sapphire Award tier over the last eight years, reducing its fleet\u2019s speeds to 10 knots or less for the most distance of any participant: more than 168,000 nautical miles.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stanley Kwiaton, MSC\u2019s Regional Manager of West Coast Port Operations\u00a0reflected: \u201cMSC\u2019s values of collaboration, trust, and open communication have made our consistent success in this programme a reality. MSC is committed to protecting endangered whales and safeguarding the areas where they feed and migrate. We are very grateful to be an integral part of MSC\u2019s worldwide efforts to protect these magnificent creatures. We look forward to continuing to work with the BWBS team and local partners by minimizing the way our operations impact whale habitats.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was clear from the large pod of whale tails on display and other lines’ reflections, that commitment to environmental protection is a genuine value for so many shipping lines.<\/p>\n
Neil Carraher, Country Manager, Swire Shipping:\u00a0\u201cSwire Shipping recognizes that responsible stewardship of biodiversity is important to maintaining a resilient marine environment, and we are conscious of the role that we can play to safeguard marine ecosystems in the areas where we operate. In the seven years since we joined BWBS, we are proud to have received the highest-tiered Sapphire Award for six consecutive years. It is very encouraging to see the positive impact the programme has had on biodiversity along the California coast, and we look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts within the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Antonia d\u2019Amico, Group ESG Director, D\u2019Amico:\u00a0\u201cFor d\u2019Amico Group, participating in BWBS for the second consecutive year and achieving the Gold rating is a true honor and a great success. This initiative reflects our unwavering commitment to the environment and underscores our responsibility to reduce the impact of our operations on marine ecosystems and air quality. Initiatives like BWBS highlight our industry\u2019s dedication to continuous improvement, demonstrating that operational efficiency and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack Duesler, Regional Operations Manager, NYK Line:\u00a0\u201cWe are excited and proud of the success of this program!\u00a0 It continues to be a challenge but not one that is insurmountable.\u00a0 Each year has its own difficulties but we are able to work as a team both internally and externally to ensure we achieve the prestigious Sapphire Rating.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
James Jeng, Chief Marine Technology Officer, Yang Ming:\u00a0\u201cAt Yang Ming, we recognize our responsibility to minimize environmental impact and promote sustainable shipping practices. That\u2019s why we are proud to continue our participation in BWBS, an initiative that delivers both environmental and social benefits while helping to safeguard a stable and biodiverse future. This effort aligns with our Protecting Biodiversity and Zero Net Deforestation Commitment announced in 2024, further reinforcing our dedication to sustainability. We are taking meaningful action to preserve the beauty and biodiversity of our oceans for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Awards Ceremony was supported by Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A., or MSC; CSL Americas; Wan Hai Lines Ltd.; NYK Line; The Block Logistics and Sonos.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/BR><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Shipping Industry and Corporate Leaders Gather at the Port of Los Angeles [By:\u00a0 International industry leaders came together at AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles on April 16th for the annual Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) Awards Ceremony, which recognized the top-performing shipping lines for the 2024 season and celebrated 10 seasons […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[59],"class_list":["post-8437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-maritime-executive","tag-maritime-executive"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8437"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8437"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8437\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}