Shipping companies recognized for endangered whale protection efforts

In honor of World Oceans Day, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS) released a report card summary on shipping company speed compliance during the past two years dubbed the Right Whale Corporate Responsibility Project.

"More and more shipping companies and mariners are taking speed restrictions seriously; that is good news for endangered right whales. Our goal is 100% A+ and we congratulate COSCO and MSC for leading by example," said Patrick Ramage IFAW Director of Marine Conservation.

Two companies, China COSCO Shipping Corporation and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) led the industry with the strongest results. 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.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the government agency in charge of protecting right whales, promulgated the Right Whale Ship Strike Reduction Rule in 2008 to reduce the risk of serious injury and lethal collisions between ships and whales by requiring ships to reduce their speed to 10 knots or less in specially delineated Seasonal Management Areas (SMAs). Two of those areas (Cape Cod Bay SMA and Off Race Point SMA) are off the coast of Massachusetts and overlap the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (NMS).

"This project is a great example of a public/private sector collaboration that protects right whales and recognizes deserving companies for their positive conservation actions," said Sanctuary Superintendent Ben Haskell.

Trips were tracked and ships and their corresponding companies were notified and provided with a grade depending on how closely they adhered to the provisions of NOAA's ship strike rule. Companies and ships that earned grades of A+ or A with 90 to 100 percent compliance were awarded Corporate Responsibility Certificates to acknowledge their whale protection efforts.

"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. Whale Alert also acts as a citizen science tool. Using Whale Alert mariners, recreational boaters and others on shore can report sighting of any whales directly to a database used by scientists. 

About IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare)

Founded in 1969, IFAW rescues and protects animals around the world. With projects in more than 40 countries, IFAW rescues individual animals, works to prevent cruelty to animals, and advocates for the protection of wildlife and habitats. For more information, visit www.ifaw.org. Follow us on social @action4ifaw and Facebook/IFAW.

SOURCE International Fund for Animal Welfare

Related Links

http://www.ifaw.org