Accidental collisions between ships and whales are a global concern, with strikes occurring frequently wherever whale activity and shipping lanes overlap. But whales are devilishly difficult to avoid, since crews can neither see the underwater mammals nor turn their vessels quickly enough to avoid them. So to help seafarers plan their voyages to minimize the risk of collisions, the World Shipping Council (WSC) has launched the WSC Whale Chart, a free navigational aid it says is the first global mapping of all mandatory and voluntary governmental measures to reduce harm to whales from commercial ships. WSC represents operators of container and roll-on/roll-off ships.
“With the WSC Whale Chart, seafarers will for the first time have a comprehensive global resource offering critical navigational coordinates and concise graphics to identify routing measures and areas subject to static speed restrictions designed to protect whales and other cetaceans,” WSC President and CEO John Butler said in a release. The group hopes that providing frequently updated information to navigators will help reduce ship strikes and safeguard endangered whale populations across the globe, he added.
Also in November, WSC teamed up with Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) to host the first International Whales Protection Workshop in Geneva, Switzerland. The gathering included representatives from industry, government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and academia who shared strategies, operational measures, and technical solutions to help protect whales.
Click here for more information about WSC’s efforts on behalf of whales.
