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Posted by Allen Newton
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08 Oct, 2026
THE WORLD Shipping Council has launched a new digital version of its global Whale Chart, making international whale‑protection measures easier for mariners and ship operators to access and integrate into voyage planning.
Developed in partnership with ocean‑data foundation HUB Ocean, the digital Whale Chart brings together all known mandatory and voluntary measures designed to reduce harm to whales from vessels.
These include speed restrictions, routing adjustments, areas to be avoided and initiatives aimed at reducing underwater radiated noise.
The Whale Chart was first released in 2023 as the shipping industry’s only global mapping of whale‑protection rules.
By digitising the tool on HUB Ocean’s Ocean Data Platform, WSC says the information is now easier to explore, update and embed directly into operational systems.
“Mariners operate across many different jurisdictions, and the measures in place to protect whales vary from country to country and region to region,” WSC president and CEO Joe Kramek said.
“Bringing this information together digitally and making it available on the bridge makes it easier to use in voyage planning and helps crews see where changing course or slowing down can make a real difference.”
HUB Ocean chief executive Kimberly Mathisen said the digital platform would help expand uptake of whale‑protection measures across the global fleet.
“Our hope is that by making this information easier to work with, it becomes part of more decisions, more voyages and ultimately more action to protect whales,” she said.
The digital Whale Chart is now available through HUB Ocean’s Ocean Data Platform, allowing users to view whale‑protection measures alongside other authoritative datasets such as marine protected areas and ocean‑intelligence layers.
WSC has also released the fourth edition of its Whale Chart handbook, providing regional overviews of protection measures.
Whales migrate across national boundaries and through some of the world’s busiest shipping routes.
WSC said separating ships from whales remains the most effective way to reduce collision risk, while speed reductions can help minimise both strike severity and underwater noise when separation is not possible.
WSC will continue updating the Whale Chart as new measures are introduced and existing rules evolve.
The digital Whale Chart can be accessed via HUB Ocean’s Ocean Data Platform, with a preview available on WSC’s Whales webpage.
