In November, the World Shipping Council (WSC) held a conference on International Whale Protection. This gathering of industry, academia, NGOs and others included a presentation by the convenor of the Scientific Committee group analysing both the threat and the effectiveness of actions to prevent collisions between whales and vessels, known as ship strikes.

WSC represent most global container ship traffic, vessels that often present the highest risk for ship strikes. They are an important stakeholder in efforts to reduce the number of collisions between whales and ships and also participate on the IWC Ship Strikes Expert Panel.

The IWC presentation focused on the scientific information needed by the shipping industry in order to take effective actions to reduce ship strike risks: whale distribution patterns, behaviour and responses to vessels. The conference also launched a new WSC 'Whale Chart,’ a navigation aid in a form accessible to mariners listing measures that have been implemented globally by maritime authorities to reduce ship strike risks. The IWC provided input for this and will continue to work with WSC to ensure mariners have access to the information they need to comply with measures to reduce ship strikes.

The new WSC tool is welcomed as the first global mapping of all mandatory and voluntary governmental measures to reduce harm to whales from ships. The Chart is available for free to all interested parties. It will be regularly updated and offers critical navigational coordinates and concise graphics to identify routing measures and areas subject to ‘static’ speed restrictions designed to protect whales and other cetaceans.

Access the Whale Chart navigational aid

Read more about ship strikes