World Shipping Council launches updated global Whale Chart to help protect whales

The World Shipping Council (WSC) has released the third edition of the WSC Whale Chart, a global voyage planning aid that maps where slower ship speeds and route changes can help protect whales from ship strikes and reduce underwater noise.

The WSC Whale Chart brings together all known mandatory and voluntary ship-strike and underwater noise reduction measures worldwide, including speed restrictions, routing measures and seasonal protection zones. It is the first tool of its kind to make this global information available in a single source, supporting safer global voyage planning.

“Protecting whales is part of protecting the oceans we depend on,” said Joe Kramek, President & CEO of the World Shipping Council. “The WSC Whale Chart makes it easier for crews to see where slowing down or changing course can make a real difference.”

This latest update to the WSC Whale Chart includes new information on measures on the U.S. West Coast and in the waters of southern British Columbia in Canada.

The WSC Whale Chart is freely available on the WSC website and will continue to be updated as new measures emerge.

WSC members are also taking individual actions to protect whales, including the use of shipboard speed alerts in areas with protective measures, thermal-imaging technology and ship design features that minimize underwater noise.

Whales play a vital role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems, and reducing ship strikes and noise is one of the most direct ways the shipping industry can help safeguard their populations. WSC continues to work with members, governments, scientists and NGOs to share data, raise awareness and strengthen protection measures across the world’s oceans.