NYK has received a gold award for the second consecutive year for the company’s participation in the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies program, a vessel speed reduction (VSR) incentive program along the West Coast of North America conducted by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the company said in its release.
To protect whales and cut air pollution, this program encourages voluntary vessel speed reduction in the Santa Barbara Channel region and the San Francisco Bay area. For about six months from May 1, 2019, the program’s partners analyzed each participating company’s automatic information system (AIS) data and evaluated the company’s adherence to the request that vessels transit at 10 knots or less through the VSR zones. NYK-operated ships were recognized for having cooperated with the request.
NYK recognizes environmental issues to be a significant company challenge and participates in programs such as this to contribute to the achievement of better seas through preservation of the marine environment and biodiversity, which are closely related to our business.