2023 Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) Program in California
The 2023 BWBS Program will begin on May 1 and conclude on December 15 for the San Francisco, Monterey Bay, and southern California regions. Please also note that only container, car carrier (Ro-Ro), bulk and general cargo, and tanker vessel operators are eligible for enrollment in the 2023 program.
This incentive-based program complements the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seasonal voluntary Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) requests, which will go into effect May 1 – December 15, 2023 for the San Francisco, Monterey Bay, and southern California regions. NOAA, USCG, and EPA strongly recommend that all vessels 300 gross tons or larger reduce speeds to 10 knots or less in the VSR zones during this timeframe. More information on NOAA’s voluntary VSR requests will be posted in the coming week on the United States Coast Guard’s 11th District Local Notice to Mariners.
Please see the links below for more details on the 2023 Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program and return the signed Letter of Understanding and Sign Up Form by email to me at the email address below by May 1, 2023 to enroll and be included in the upcoming program news release.
For more information on this effort, please visit: www.bluewhalesblueskies.org
