Jess Morten
BY STAS MARGARONIS
On July, 30th, Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) hosted an update at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf organized by Neptune Pacific Line’s Pierce McDonnell who introduced the Program Speaker Jess Morten, Director of Marine Resource Protection, California Marine Sanctuary Foundation.
Since 2016, Morten has played a key role in the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program by “coordinating program planning and implementation, leading communication and outreach efforts with the shipping industry, and wrangling data for cooperation and environmental benefits calculations,” according to the BWBS website.
Protecting whales along the California coast, Blue Whales and Blue Skies has created a voluntary Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) program incentivizing shipping participants to reduce ship strike risk to whales, underwater noise, emissions, and air pollution by voluntarily transiting at 10 knots or less.
BWBS independently verifies cooperation rates and environmental benefits and incentivizes further adoption of responsible shipping practices that protect marine biodiversity and coastal air quality.
Any company who operates container, car carrier, bulk cargo, cruise vessels or tanker vessels that pass through the Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) zones is eligible.
Each vessel transiting the VSR zones has their speed verified via analysis of Automatic Identification System (AIS) data. If an enrolled company is unable to meet the minimum program criteria, there is no penalty but public recognition incentives will not be awarded.
A company must enroll to receive program incentives.
As a BWBS participating company, companies can:
- Receive third-party verified data on VSR performance, and analyses on the environmental benefits of cooperation including: coastal air quality and regional greenhouse gas emissions reductions; reduced risk of fatal strikes; and noise pollution reduction.
- Demonstrate commitment to more sustainable shipping and biodiversity protection.
- Receive recognition on program’s website, at events, and in media as part of the program’s recognition campaign.
VESSEL OPERATOR PARTICIPATION RISING
At the July 30th briefing Morten said that the Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) measures have resulted in major improvements in cooperation with vessel operators accessing California ports.
She particularly praised the role of the ocean carrier CMA/CGM as well as Kathi George the Director of Cetacean Conservation Biology at The Marine Mammal Center.
Morten said that in 2017, the percentage of cooperating vessels was 18% in the Southern California region and 45% in the San Francisco and Monterey region.
In 2025, she said that there has been a major improvement to the vessels operating in the Southern California region cooperating at a level of 68%, while in the San Francisco and Monterey region, cooperation rose to 72%
Morten said that companies and organizations that support the program include:
- Patagonia
- Port of Oakland
- Seaspan
- Port of Hueneme
- F. Bar Pilots
S.F. BAR PILOTS
Two San Francisco Bar Pilots, Captain Dave Corbett and Captain Dan Bridgman, followed Morten and discussed how pilots work with ships and crews arriving and departing the San Francisco Bay. The steps that are taken include the following:
- Check-in at pilot station or berth/anchor with VTS (Vessel Traffic Service a service implemented by the United States Coast Guard designed to improve the safety and efficiency of vessel traffic) and receive vessel traffic and whale location reports along with the ship’s intended route.
- Diverting from original route to avoid areas with whale sightings if possible.
- Preparing captain/crew for possible whale sightings.
- Post extra lookout on bow and underscore the importance of crew members to report whale sightings.
- Altering speed/course when necessary.
- Utilizing VHF Channel 14 to create a seamless flow of information about whale sightings.
- Review the VSR (vessel speed reduction) zone with captain and crew.
Tony Heeter, North Bay Operations Manager, Blue & Gold Fleet, and a ferry captain, concluded the presentations by discussing challenges for ferry operators in the San Francisco Bay ensuring whale safety while trying to keep ferry services on time.