apphire award winning shipping lines recognized at the ceremony; Credit: Adam Ernster
Industry Leadership Celebrated by Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program
Earth Day marked several important milestones for California’s coast, benefiting both coastal counties and marine life. On April 22, Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) launched the 2026 voluntary Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) Season, now along the entire California coast as set forth in California Assembly Bill 14, authored by Assemblymember Gregg Hart and signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom last year.
The season kickoff also featured an in-person gathering near the Port of Oakland for the annual BWBS Awards Ceremony. Industry, public agencies, and nonprofit leaders gathered to recognize shipping lines’ verified efforts in responsible shipping over the course of the 2025 Season. The event included awards for top-performing shipping lines and company ambassadors, and honored Assembly member Hart for his leadership and support of the program’s work toward safer whales, cleaner air, and a quieter ocean.
“When industry leaders and public partners step up together, we send a powerful signal: protecting our oceans and growing our economy are not competing goals, they are shared responsibilities,” said Assemblymember Hart. “Through the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies program, California isn’t just participating in this work, we are setting the standard.”
“I’d like to congratulate the shipping lines that signed up to participate in the 2025 program,” said Aeron Arlin Genet, Executive Director of Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, one of the program’s founding partners. “These shipping companies take pride in the environmental benefits their voluntary actions can have, both for the protection of whales and of human health. It was exciting to celebrate their success alongside Assemblymember Gregg Hart, whose dedicated leadership with AB 14 allowed this impressive program to expand statewide moving forward.”
The ceremony included an overview of the 2025 Season results, and for the first time, panel presentations by shipping lines, program ambassadors (including consumer brands, ports, and maritime logistics and technology representatives), and whale conservation leaders, including from the World Wildlife Fund, University of Washington, Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory, and the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation.
MSC received the Sustained Leadership Award, recognizing the world’s largest container line as the most consistent top performer in the program across its 11 year history, and shared their World Whale Day video, which highlighted the importance of, and MSC’s commitment to, protecting endangered whale populations. Representatives from MSC, CMA CGM, CSL Americas, and NYK Line – top performers across the container, car carrier, and bulk carrier operator categories in the 2025 program – highlighted their efforts to protect biodiversity and air quality.
“We at NYK Line are excited once again to receive the sapphire award. It takes a tremendous effort from our crews and staff overseas and locally to make this happen.” – Jack Duesler, Operations Manager of NYK Line RORO Division.
“CMA CGM has been involved in the Blue Whales Blue Skies Program for the last 6 years. It’s something that is very important to us and it’s in our DNA to participate…In the 2025 season we are proud to say that we earned a cooperation grade of 99%, which equates to over 60,000 nautical miles of transits at whale safer speeds off California. It’s something we are very passionate about and we are happy to be a part of this great program.” – John Roehl, U.S. West Coast Director of Marine Operations, CMA CGM.
Company ambassadors including JAS Worldwide, Nomad, STAX Engineering, and The Block Logistics shared insights on supporting responsible supply chains, what makes them hopeful, and how they are navigating the landscape.
“What gives me hope is seeing real, measurable progress as companies take sustainability seriously—there’s nothing quite like watching STAX’s emissions capture system redirect and clean pollution from a 40,000-ton cargo ship in real time.” – Jaimi Klein, Head of Marketing, STAX Engineering
“JAS is proud to be awarded BWBS Sapphire ambassador for the second consecutive year. We remain committed to working alongside our customers, carriers, and partners while respecting the oceans that support life on Earth.” – Andrea Goeman, SVP Global QHSE & Sustainability, JAS Worldwide
Celebrating Industry Leadership & Impact
Each year, BWBS encourages and verifies shipping lines’ voluntary efforts regarding cooperation with the program’s parameters for slowing down, and works with research partners to quantify the environmental benefits including: reduced risk to whales and reduced underwater noise pollution, and improved air quality via reduced smog-forming oxides of nitrogen (NOx), oxides of sulfur (SOx), diesel particulate matter (DPM), and greenhouse gas emissions.During the awards ceremony, top-performing shipping lines and program ambassadors are recognized, and Sapphire Award winners receive the coveted whale tails, handcrafted this year by shipwright Nate Slater.
Sapphire Awards
Shipping Lines: CMA CGM; MSC; COSCO; NYK Line RoRo; Yang Ming; OOCL; Hapag-Lloyd; Marathon Petroleum; OSG Ship Management; ConocoPhillips Polar Tankers; CSL Americas; Wan Hai Lines; Scorpio Group; Seaspan Corporation; Swire Shipping; BP Shipping Ltd.; Campbell Shipping Company; GoldenKing Ship Management Co.; Toyofuji Shipping Co.; Unity Ship Management; Hakuyo Kisen KK; and Nhat Viet Transportation Corporation. Ambassadors: Nomad Goods, Sonos, JAS Worldwide, Who Gives a Crap, and ShipCo Transport.
Gold Awards
Shipping Lines: Maersk; ONE; Evergreen; Mol ACE; Wallenius Wilhelmsen; Liberty Maritime; Eastern Pacific Shipping; Unisea Shipping Ltd; Canfornav; and Weihai Weitong Marine Shipping Co. Ambassadors: Block Logistics, Port of Hueneme, and Port of Oakland.
Blue Sky Awards
Shipping Lines: Hyundai (UCC); K Line; Hyundai Glovis; D’Amico Group; Swire Bulk; Champion Tankers AS; Anglo-Eastern Shipmanagement; MT Maritime Management USA; Asan Merchant Marine Co. LTD; and Shih Wei Navigation.
“This annual event is truly one of the highlights of my year. Gathering in person to celebrate our shipping line participants and ambassadors for another season of positive impact is always inspiring. It felt especially meaningful this year as we kicked off a new season that expands these protections statewide, covering even more vital whale habitat and air quality zones. We are immensely proud of—and grateful for—the collaborative relationships we’ve built with the shipping industry, and we look forward to continuing to demonstrate that commerce and conservation can, and do, coexist.” – Jessica Morten, Dir. of Marine Resource Protections, California Marine Sanctuary Foundation.
About & Enrollment Information
BWBS is a collaborative partnership working toward safer whales, cleaner air, and a quieter ocean. Partners include the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation; Santa Barbara County, Ventura County, San Luis Obispo County, Northern Sonoma County, and San Diego County Air Pollution Control Districts; Bay Area Air Quality Management District; Monterey Bay Air Resources District; Channel Islands, Monterey Bay, Greater Farallones, and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries; and Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory. Container, car carrier, bulk, general cargo, tanker, and — new for the 2026 Season — cruise lines are eligible to enroll. Early enrollment is encouraged (but not required) to receive all the customized monthly reports detailing whale sightings and fleet-specific data. Enrollment materials and details can be found here.Questions may be sent to Jessica Morten at [email protected] and Danielle Alvarez at [email protected]. For questions on the ambassador program, contact Becca Tucker at [email protected].
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