April 15, 2011
The Long Beach Board Port Authority announced top ocean carriers in compliance with its voluntary ship speed reduction program in designated offshore waters for the purpose of reducing exhaust gas from their vessels as "Green Flag" commendation ocean carriers in 2010.
On 7 Apr 2011, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. ("K" Line) received the prestigious Green Flag award from the Port Authority based on its total of 203 annual port callings meeting 99.5% compliance rate within 20 nautical miles from the port and 97% compliance rate within 40 nautical miles during 2010. Reducing fuel-oil consumption rate helps decrease carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
The Port Authority is asking calling vessels to comply with the speed limit of 12-knots within 20 miles (about 37 kilometers) from the port in order to reduce emissions of exhaust gas, with the same speed limit within 40 miles (about 74 kilometers) from the port. The Port
Authority has been campaigning to reduce vessel speed in the Long Beach Port area since 2005 through this voluntary program for ocean carriers. "K" Line has been aggressively participating in this campaign and achieved high compliance record every year with this being its 6th consecutive "Green Flag" award.
The "K" Line Group is making every possible effort to successfully implement its own environmental program, as well as cooperate with any other environmental preservation objectives being introduced by other parties, and will continue to actively contribute to protection of the global environment.