Participating Ship Operators & Award Tiers
Participants in the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies program range from companies with a handful of vessels to the largest shipping companies in the world. Together they account for roughly 80% of all container traffic that passes through the Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) zones.
Photo: Jess Morten/NOAA
Participating Ship Operators & Award Tiers
Participants in the program range from companies with a handful of vessels to the largest shipping companies in the world. Together, they account for roughly 80% of all container traffic that passes through the Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) zones.
Shipping operators are awarded based on three tiers, each representing a different level of cooperation. The tiers below reflect the latest 2025 Season terms.
Sapphire
(2024 Results)
Operators at the Sapphire tier operate 90% of distance travelled at 10 knots or less within the VSR zones.
Gold
(2024 Results)
Operators at the Gold tier operate 70% of distance travelled at 10 knots or less within the VSR zones.
Blue Sky
(2024 Results)
Operators at the Blue Sky tier operate 50% of distance travelled at 10 knots or less within the VSR zones.
Sapphire Tier
Sapphire
CMA CGM
2018
Sapphire
Connaught Shipmanagement (HK) Limited
2024
Sapphire
COSCO
2018
Sapphire
CSL
2022
Sapphire
HONG KONG TOP HONOR SHIPPING CO., LTD
2024
Sapphire
ISM Ship Management
2024
Sapphire
Maersk
2018
Sapphire
Marathon Petroleum Corporation
2024
Sapphire
MSC
2018
Sapphire
NYK Ro-Ro
2018
Sapphire
ONE Line
2018
Sapphire
OOCL
2022
Sapphire
OSG
2023
Sapphire
Pilion Navigation
2024
Sapphire
Polar Tankers
2024
Sapphire
Starbulk S.A.
2024
Sapphire
STX Marine Service Co
2024
Sapphire
Swire Shipping
2019
Sapphire
Teo Shipping Corporation
2024
Sapphire
Tomini Transports LLC
2024
Sapphire
Toyofuji Shipping Co LTD
2022
Sapphire
Wallenius Wilhelmsen
2020
Sapphire
Yang Ming
2018
Gold Tier
Gold
Campbell Shipping Company
2024
Gold
d’Amico Group
2023
Gold
Dockendale
2024
Gold
Empire Bulker Ltd.
2024
Gold
Evergreen
2018
Gold
Hapag Lloyd
2018
Gold
HMC Ship Management
2024
Gold
Hyundai Glovis
2018
Gold
K Line
2018
Gold
MOL ACE – NMCC
2022
Gold
Pacific Basin Shipping
2022
Gold
Raffles Shipmanagement Services
2024
Gold
Scorpio Group
2023
Gold
Temm Maritime Co.
2024
Gold
Unisea Ltd.
2023
Gold
Venture Shipping LTD
2024
Gold
Veritas Shipmanagement
2024
Gold
Wan Hai Lines
2022
Blue Sky Tier
Blue Sky
Anglo-Eastern Shipmanagement
2024
Blue Sky
Cetus Maritime (Shanghai) Ltd.
2024
Blue Sky
Chemikalien Seetransport GmbH
2024
Blue Sky
Hyundai Merchant Marine
2022
Blue Sky
LASKARIDIS SHIPPING CO. LTD.
2024
Blue Sky
Shih Wei Navigation Co. Ltd
2023
Blue Sky
Swire Bulk
2022
Blue Sky
Wah Kwong Shipmanagement
2024
Take The Next Step
Join a growing movement of industry leaders—enroll your fleet to reduce whale strikes, improve air quality, and gain recognition for sustainable shipping.
Photo: Jess Morten ©2016 NOAA