MSC slows ships to help protect whales in U.S. waters

On 16 August, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Cordell Bank and Greater Farallones national marine sanctuaries, off the US Pacific coast, honoured MSC and a select number of other companies that have shown a high degree of cooperation with their vessel speed reduction requests, the company announces in its press release.

The purpose of this speed-reduction program is to improve air quality, reduce risk of fatal whale strikes, and protect whales within National Marine Sanctuaries. Award recipients have set an industry example by voluntarily reducing vessel speeds in areas where endangered whale species regularly feed.

Being struck by large ships is one of the leading causes of whale mortality worldwide. The speed restrictions, during the period when whales migrate to the area, help to mitigate potential collisions in two ways: by reducing the risk of serious or fatal injuries if a strike does occur, and by increasing the odds that a whale will have sufficient time to react and avoid the collision.

“This is a great job and team effort by all involved, it reaffirms MSC’s commitment to protecting marine wildlife and preserving the biodiversity of our seas.” said Paolo Magnani, Executive Vice President, Marketing & Quality Control at MSC USA. “We are very proud to be part of the NOAA program and it is particularly noteworthy that MSC had more compliant vessels than any other operator in the program in 2017.”