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An organization called "Friend of the Sea" bestows the award for MSC's commitment to whale preservation.
In 2021, the organization Friend of the Sea initiated a Safe Whale Award to promote awareness of the number of whales struck and killed every year by ships at sea.
The whales are not killed as a result of negligence. Whales are sometimes confused by the sounds coming from underneath the ships, and many whales move slower than embarking guests on Holland America. In addition, the design of the hull can also contribute to their demise.
This year MSC Cruises has been given the Safe Whale award.
In a statement, Friend of the Sea said, "MSC cruise ships have been equipped with specially designed hulls, propellers, and noise suppression devices, aimed to significantly minimize underwater vibrations and the subsequent impact on cetaceans".
These changes have also earned MSC Cruises the Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) certification from Bureau Veritas on several of its ships on several ships. Bureau Veritas is a highly acclaimed French testing service.
Paolo Bray, Founder and Director of Friend of the Sea, said, "Friend of the Sea is encouraged to witness broadened attention towards the neglected yet severe issue of whale-ship collisions. It remains essential that major shipping and cruise operators set a precedent and for that reason, we are pleased to award MSC Cruises with Whale-Safe recognition. We hope to see more cruise and shipping lines follow whale-safe practices and apply for the Whale-Safe certification and award."
Linden Coppell, Director of Sustainability at MSC Cruises said “MSC Cruises has a longstanding commitment to protecting the ocean and marine wildlife. We are pleased to receive the Whale-Safe 2022 Award, which recognizes our consistent efforts to support the conservation of endangered whale populations. It shows that the actions we are taking in this regard have a tangible and meaningful impact."
Now if they could do something about the noise around the pool on sea days!
