The International Fund for Animal Welfare urges shipping industry for more attention on the critical issues concerning marine mammals, like underwater noise pollution and ship strikes. IFAW also encourages industry to follow the example of these companies which have already taken speed restriction seriously with remarkable results, such as COSCO and MSC.
As IFAW notes, two of the most significant human-related threats, that marine species face, are linked to vessel activities: ocean noise pollution and ship strikes.
- Underwater noise pollution is an emerging and disturbing threat, all the more so because it is insidious and invisible.
- Collisions with ships, or ship strikes, constitute another huge threat to marine species, and in particular to large whales.A collision can result in horrific and serious injuries, and for those whales that are not killed immediately, a strike may lead to a slow and painful death.
Collisions between endangered North Atlantic right whales and large shipping vessels are one of the leading causes of death for these rare whales and hinder the recovery of their entire species of approximately 500 individuals. As a protection measure, mariners are required to travel at ten knots or less in designated right whale habitat areas and their speed is monitored.
IFAW is working to reduce both ocean noise pollution and the risk of ship strikes to whales in via campaigns in order the underwater noise to be recognised and regulated as a form of pollution in the EU Marine Strategy Directive, which was adopted in May 2008.
IFAW is currently working with shipping companies and ports to reduce ocean noise pollution by encouraging industry to incentivise quieter ships, maintain extra-slow steaming practices for their fleet and to implement guidelines set out by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for reducing underwater noise.
IFAW underlined that ocean health is firmly associated with health for humankind and urges for action to protect marine life. As examples of best performance in tackling these problems, the organization highlighted China COSCO Shipping Corporation and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC).
These two companies have led the industry with the strongest results, IFAW says. More than 2,000 total transits were evaluated involving 220 vessels and 149 companies in 2015 and 211 vessels and 145 companies in 2016. Analysis led by SBNMS research coordinator Dr. David Wiley and spatial ecologist Michael Thompson showed significant improvements in compliance during the two year period. In 2015, 72% of vessels achieved A or A+ ratings, with 83% of vessels achieving such ratings in 2016. On the down side, fifteen percent of companies are still at or below C-level with 79 percent compliance or less.
“As a company committed to safety and corporate responsibility worldwide, MSC is pleased to be recognized for our performance in helping protect endangered right whales and marine habitat,” said Claudio Bozzo, Chief Operating Officer, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company.
“COSCO SHIPPING is committed to doing our part to protect whales and the marine environment. We are gratified by this recognition of our vessels, mariners and crews in delivering on that commitment,” said Howard Finkel Vice President, COSCO SHIPPING North America.
To increase mariner awareness and improve the ability of some vessels to comply with whale protection measures, IFAW, NOAA and the app development company Conserve IO have teamed to produce Whale Alert, a free smartphone app. Whale Alert displays right whale management measures for vessel operators on easy to read nautical charts and warns mariners when they enter a management area.
