Gard P&I Club has issued a set of recommendations for operators to avoid striking whales, as many species are threatened by vessel traffic.
According to the World Sustainability Foundation (WSF), tens of thousands of collisions occur between ships and whales. Furthermore, a recently published research article “Ship collision risk threatens whales across the world’s oceans“ explained that expanding protective measures by just 2.6% of the ocean could significantly reduce risks, largely by optimizing regulations within existing management zones.
Gard strongly recommends that a copy of the most recent edition of the WSC Whale Chart is available onboard at all times. Furthermore:
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Make sure crews receive basic training in the precautionary measures to be taken when operating in areas where whales are known to be present, including identification and reporting. Learn more about the appearance and behaviour of whales from NOAA’s species directory.
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Check for active speed restriction zones. Some authorities will activate temporary speed restriction zones at short notice if whales are confirmed to be in a certain location.
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Encourage masters to reduce the vessel’s speed while transiting areas with voluntary speed restrictions and avoid areas with reported concentrations of whales. Navigate with caution and post lookouts that are familiar with spotting whales.
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Collect information about whale sightings from all available sources. This enables crews to conduct the most prudent voyage planning to/from ports in areas where whales may be present. Different whale alert apps and online charts are also available.
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Instruct crews not to intentionally approach whales as this maybe a violation of local law. Other vessels in the area should be alerted when a whale is sighted.
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Provide a written report to the company as soon as possible following a whale strike, as well as to the local authorities of the event where applicable.
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For vessels trading to the US, review, and update as necessary, vessels’ procedures for pre-arrival reporting to make sure they are in line with its Mandatory Ship Reporting System.
