Shipping lines are constantly plagued by environmental negligence issues, particularly concerning marine wildlife such as whales. Although advanced technologies have enabled streamlining of shipping operations, marine software companies have yet to integrate marine wildlife conservation software into their systems.
Oil leaks are not the only problem faced by shipping liners. Whale deaths are frequently attributed to collisions with ships of all sizes, especially those measuring 80m or sailing at 14kn or faster.
Whale collisions have been occurring since the 1800s but until now, no effective action has been taken to prevent these accidents. Among the various whale species, the fin whales, right whales, humpback whales, sperm whales and gray whales are most frequently hit.
Researchers have tried to blast warning noises to scare off the whales, in particular the endangered right whales whose overall population is found to have only 350 animals left. But instead of moving away, the noises only attracted the whales to come near the liners, proving the experiment to be ineffective.
As a way to help preserve this whale species, a new app developed by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) called Whale Alert will help shipping liners locate the whales by linking to acoustic buoys and listening to whale calls. After locating the position of the whales, the shipping liners can then maneuver their ships in time to avoid fatal collisions.
Marine software companies should develop liner shipping software that include similar marine wildlife conservation functions. This should be a standard in all liner shipping software so that no collision accidents occur and whale species can be preserved.
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