Admiralty inlet slowdown

Admiralty Inlet Voluntary Vessel Slowdown

A collaborative effort to reduce underwater noise for endangered whales

Admiralty Inlet and Puget Sound are critical habitat for the endangered Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW). During the fall and winter, these killer whales swim, rest and forage for salmon in these waters. Underwater noise is identified by Canada and the United States as one of the main threats to killer whales due to its interference with their ability to hunt, navigate, and communicate.

Since 2022, Quiet Sound has worked with a coalition of federal, state, tribal, port, maritime industry, scientist, and NGO representatives to implement a seasonal voluntary slowdown for vessels transiting through Admiralty Inlet and north Puget Sound. During the slowdown, large commercial vessels are encouraged to reduce their speeds when transiting through the slowdown zone down when safe and operationally feasible to do so. By slowing down, large vessels reduce their underwater noise output. Quieter waters give orcas better opportunities to hunt and communicate with their pod. Past Quiet Sound slowdowns have reduced underwater noise by 12-50%.

The 2025-26 Slowdown Has Concluded

The 2025-26 voluntary vessel slowdown was in effect from 0001 PST September 14, 2025 through 2359 PST January 11, 2026.

2025-26 Voluntary Vessel Slowdown

Participant Recognition

Quiet Sound is expanding recognition for participants in the 2025-26 slowdown. As in previous seasons, Quiet Sound will provide all participants with a Recognition Certificate. Additionally, Quiet Sound is offering participants:

- - Fleet participation report, which can be used in sustainability reporting and certifications, such as Green Marine;
  - Supporting nominations for regional awards (such as the Port of Seattle Sustainable Century Award or the Northwest Seaport Alliance North Star Awards
  - Company logo featured on the Quiet Sound website.

To explore any of these options, please email Quiet Sound at info@quietsound.org.

Quiet Sound does not share or post indivudual fleet participation rates publicly, unless it is with consent from the company and part of a collaborative communications effort.

Slowdown Results

Quiet Sound measures slowdown impact in 3 ways:

- - Vessel participation
  - Underwater noise reduction
  - Southern Resident killer whale presence

Quiet Sound anticiaptes sharing a final report of slowdown results in summer.

Dates: September 14, 2025 – January 11, 2026

The Southern Resident killer whales were confirmed in the slowdown zone on September 13. The slowdown was in effect from 0001 PST September 14, 2025 through 2359 PST January 11, 2026. The slowdown has concluded.

Location: Admiralty Inlet and North Puget Sound

The voluntary vessel slowdown takes place in the inbound and outbound lanes of the shipping lanes within these boundaries:

- Northwest boundary of the slowdown: A line drawn between Point Hudson (48.117264, -122.748907) and Admiralty Head (48.15217, -122.679503)
- Northeast boundary of the slowdown: A line drawn between Randall Point (47.983237, -122.352871) and the Mukilteo Lighthouse (47.948181, -122.308043)
- Southern boundary of the slowdown: A line draw between Apple Cove Point (47.815535, -122.480885) and Edwards Point (47.803340, -122.394924)

The slowdown area excludes Hood Canal.

For a full-size map of the slowdown, click here

Speed:

When it is safe and operationally feasible, ships are encouraged to transit the slowdown area at or below the following speeds through water:

- 14.5 knots – speed through water or less for vehicle carriers, cruise ships, and container vessels
- 11.0 knots – speed through water or less for general cargo, bulkers and tankers

The slowdown does not include recommendations for fishing or recreational vessels.

Past Seasonal Voluntary Vessel Slowdown Results

Quiet Sound ran the first voluntary vessel slowdown in Washington State in 2022-23 in Admiralty Inlet and north Puget Sound. Following the success of the trial, Quiet Sound implemented seasonal slowdowns in 2023-24 and 2024-25.

2022-23 Slowdown Trial Report
2023-24 Slowdown Results (Executive Summary; Full Report)
2024-25 Slowdown Results (Executive Summary; Full Report)

Whale Alerts for Commercial Mariners

Endangered whales can be found outside this slowdown area and in the area beyond the dates of the slowdown. Quiet Sound encourages mariners to sign up for the Whale Report Alert System (WRAS) to receive text alerts when you are within 10 nm of a verified whale sighting. If you belong to a government or professional marine organization, or are a pilot or member of the bridge crew of a ship, please contact the WRAS Project Manager at WRAS@ocean.org to request access to WRAS.

Quiet Sound gratefully acknowledges all the partners who are working to provide Washington mariners with real-time whale locations, including: Ocean Wise, Orca Network, Acartia, Conserve.io, and all the members of. thepublic who report sightings.

Quiet Sound encourages mariners to take the ‘Whales in our Waters’ online trainng to learn how to identify and share waterways with whales. It is administered by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s ECHO program. Those who complete the 60-75 minute tutorial receive a certificate.

How Can the Public Help This Initiative?

Members of the public can help commercial mariners avoid whales by reporting whale sightings through:

- Orca Network: www.orcanetwork.org/report-sightings, sightings@orcanetwork.org, or (866)-ORCANET (672-2638).
- The WhaleReport app (available on Apple or Google devices).
- The Whale Alert app (available on Apple or Google devices).
- The U.S. Coast Guard Cetacean Desk at (206) 217-ORCA (6722) or in the Puget Sound VTS designated traffic channels (5A, 14).
- Mariners in Canadian-managed waters may report sightings to the Canadian Coast Guard Marine Mammal Desk at (833) 339-1020.

For More Information:

Questions? Contact us at info@quietsound.org. Pilots with questions about the slowdown can text or call Quiet Sound at (360) 218-2307 from 8am to 5pm PST.

To learn more about concurrent slowdowns for whale protection in Canadian waters, visit the ECHO program’s webpage here.

acknowledgements

Quiet Sound recognizes the essential contributions of the Leadership Committee and working groups who provided input on the seasonal slowdowns. We also thank the ECHO program for their continued mentorship and partnership in operationalizing these programs.

Puget Sound Pilots are playing a pivotal role in the on-water success of this effort. The Marine Exchange of Puget Sound is providing AIS data, and the Marine Exchange and Pacific Merchant Shipping Association have been key partners in communicating the slowdown to the maritime industry.

We thank all the tribal governments who considered our proposal to put forward this program for vessels traveling through their usual and accustomed fishing areas.

Funding for this work was provided by the Washington State Legislature, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Northwest Seaport Alliance, Port of Seattle, and Port of Tacoma. The Port of Seattle provides translation and printing services for informational handouts for mariners.

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