California’s Port of Oakland, one of the top 10 largest container ports in the United States, is the newest Ambassador of the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program (BWBS). BWBS incentivizes shipping companies to voluntarily reduce speeds along the California coast to reduce fatal ship strikes to endangered whales, underwater noise, and air pollution.
The Port of Oakland joins a growing portfolio of consumer goods, brands, ports, and logistics company Ambassadors supporting responsible shipping efforts that reduce the marine biodiversity and air quality impacts of maritime trade
As an Ambassador, and the second port to join the program after the Port of Hueneme, the Port of Oakland will help encourage high participation from all of its shipping lines. Additionally, the Port will spread awareness of the environmental benefits of responsible shipping practices for coastal communities and endangered species. Currently, the shipping lines CMA CGM, MSC, Evergreen, COSCO, Hapag-Lloyd, Hyundai, Maersk, ONE, OOCL, Swire, Wan Hai, and Yang Ming — which represent 84% of all vessel calls to the Port of Oakland in 2024 — are active participants in the BWBS program.
“The Port’s participation is another example of our commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Port of Oakland Environmental Director Colleen Liang. “This program will help our shipping partners meet the demands of commerce in a more sustainable way.”
Through BWBS, participating shipping companies receive data detailing the environmental benefits of the program’s overall impact, as well as fleet-specific performance data. Since the program launched in 2014, participating vessels have collectively reduced speeds for more than 1.5 million nautical miles, reducing a critical source of smog-forming air pollution and avoiding approximately 5,900 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. For the 2024 season, participating shipping lines achieved a 50% reduction in lethal ship strike risk to endangered whales and an average decrease of 4.1 decibels (or 38%) in underwater radiated noise.
BWBS is a partnership between federal and local government agencies, foundations, and environmental nonprofits, including the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation; Channel Islands, Chumash Heritage, Monterey Bay, Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries; Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory; Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County, and Monterey Bay Air Pollution Control Districts; and the Bay Area Air District.
(Whale and ship photo by Dustin Harris and Port of Oakland photo)