Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation (Yang Ming) has actively participated in the Protecting Blue Whales & Blue Skies Program, an initiative led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). By voluntarily reducing vessel speeds, the Company helps protect endangered whales while lowering underwater noise, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. In recognition of its continued participation, Yang Ming was honored with the Sapphire Award, the program’s highest distinction, for the fourth time. The award was accepted on behalf of the Company by Thomas Zin, the assistant vice president at Yang Ming (America).
Since 2016, Yang Ming has supported the Protecting Blue Whales & Blue Skies Program by voluntarily reducing vessel speeds to ten knots or less in ecologically sensitive areas off the coast of California, including the San Francisco Bay Area, Monterey Bay, and Southern California. These efforts aim to prevent collisions with migrating blue, fin, and humpback whales, reduce harmful emissions such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx), minimize underwater noise pollution, and ultimately mitigate impacts on the marine environment and coastal communities. Yang Ming's continued contributions have once again earned the program’s highest honor, the Sapphire Award, demonstrating its dedication to protecting ocean biodiversity.
