The World Shipping Council (WSC) has released the second edition of its Whale Chart, a voyage planning tool aimed at helping the global merchant shipping industry protect whale populations.
Building on the positive response to the first edition, published in November 2023, this updated version incorporates additional features to assist ship operators in both reducing the risk of vessel strikes and underwater noise pollution, both of which can have adverse impacts on a range of marine life.
The WSC Whale Chart offers a comprehensive overview of whale conservation measures that apply to the merchant shipping fleet globally. These statutory measures are designed to guide ship operators on how to navigate sensitive hot-spot areas, with a focus on minimising disruption to whales and ensuring safer shipping practices.
Joe Kramek, CEO of the World Shipping Council says “We are heartened by the warm reception of the WSC Whale Chart and the recognition that it fills a critical gap in information on whale conservation measures that have been put in place by governments across the world,”
“The first edition has been widely used by mariners, governments, NGOs, and researchers, and we are grateful for the feedback we have received. The second edition builds on this foundation, adding new data and expanding its scope to enhance its usefulness.”
The chart now cover cross-jurisdictional initiatives such as U.S. and Canada’s work in the Salish Sea, precautionary areas and routing measures endorsed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in the Bering Sea and Bering Strait, as well as measures from Costa Rica, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and the Arctic. There are new contributions from port authorities, such as those in São Sebastião (Brazil) and New York/New Jersey (U.S.), further expand the chart’s coverage.
To find out more and to download the chart visit the WSC website.
Title image: Breaching humpback whale. Photograph credit: Terry Carne
Image below: Blue whale. Photograph credit: Mark Carwardine
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