MSC adjusts course around Sri Lanka to protect blue whales

MSC has begun to re-route vessels passing by Sri Lanka in a major step to help protect blue whales and other whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans) living and feeding in the waters off the coast of the country.

The shipping line began to voluntarily re-route its vessels in mid-2022 on a new course that is approximately 15 nautical miles to the south of the current traffic separation scheme (TSS) for commercial shipping.

Stefania Lallai, vice president of sustainability at MSC said: “We believe that the commercial shipping sector has an important role to play in protecting cetaceans, specifically in helping to reduce the risk of ship collisions with whales.”