Environmental laurels for K Line
NOAA has honoured the Japanese carrier K Line with a gold award for the company’s participation in the 2018 voluntary vessel speed reduction (VSR) incentive programme with a high-level compliance rate.
The programme aims to protect whales in the US waters of the Santa Barbara Channel and San Francisco Bay Area and calls for vessels to reduce their speed when sailing these waters. K Line has been participating in this programme since last year.
In addition, at the Port of Long Beach, the carrier has been commended for the “Green Flag Programme” by the port authority for fourteen consecutive years since 2005. This initiative asks vessels to reduce their speed within 40 nautical miles (about 74 km) from the port in order to prevent air pollution. In 2018, K Line achieved a high compliance rate of over 90% for vessels’ slow steaming. (kd)