Swiss ship operator Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has agreed to divert the ship’s course in Sri Lankan waters to avoid collisions with blue whales. According to Phys.org’s report, this has been requested by environmentalists for years.
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The southern coast of the island in the Indian Ocean is home to a large population of the largest endangered marine mammals. At the same time, it should be noted that one of the busiest international shipping lines in the world passes through here.
Activists estimate that more than a dozen blue whales have died in the area over the past decade due to collisions with cargo ships. Whales are not the only victims of tankers and bulk carriers. Cargo ships sank fishing boats from time to time, causing loss of life.
Due to the events, international activists and local environmentalists are pressing Sri Lankan authorities to shift shipping routes 15 nautical miles (about 28 kilometers) from the coast.
Slowdown has also been ordered.
The Geneva-based MSC not only voluntarily agreed to change course but also instructed small freighters to reduce their speed to 10 knots (18.5 km/h) in the blue whale habitat.
The company says the measures taken will reduce the risk of collisions with whales by 95%. The area will also become safer for dolphins and other marine mammals such as porpoises.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) welcomed the announcement by Mediterranean Shipping Company, calling it “good news for blue whales and humans alike”.
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