When whales and ships must share the ocean's corridors

We are all on a journey to learn how we can turn ocean data into #dataforgood. In this letter, I reflect on one powerful example of how aggregated ocean data from the shipping sector can unlock ways to cut emissions AND protect biodiversity.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking at the NOR-Shipping conference, one of the world’s largest conferences within shipping.

As McKinsey says in its Insights, the shipping sector is the lifeblood of global trade, accounting for approximately 80 % of all trade, with further growth expected. The industry also represents about 3 per cent of total CO2 emissions—an amount that, if unchecked, could increase by as much as 50% by 2050.  

My goal was to emphasize the importance of aggregating ocean data to get this somewhat conservative sector to where it needs to be – net-zero. In this sector and in all others, we need forward leaning companies to be precisely that- forward-leaning.

My opening messages: “Sustainability is no longer a marketing message or something nice for your annual report. You will be held accountable to a higher standard by your customers, your investors, your shareholders, and most importantly by your children, as members of the future generations. And you will need DATA to prove that you are delivering to that standard. It is imperative that you build more understanding of what data you have, what data you need and what we can accomplish together when data is shared and combined.”

I then walked through two sets of ocean data, each of which provide new insights that can be used for the greater common good. But there is an even greater prize attached.

Blue corridors  

WWF (World Wildlife Fund) recently published the report Protecting Blue Corridors. They used decades of satellite data to visualize the migration routes of over 1,000 whales worldwide. This is the first comprehensive look at whale migration and the threats they face. Here is an image from this report, visualizing the routes.  

The report is a collaborative analysis of 30 years of scientific data contributed by more than 50 research groups, with leading marine scientists from Oregon State University, the University of California Santa Cruz, the University of Southampton and others.  

Why is it important? Whales are under threat from industrial fishing, ship collisions, underwater noise, plastic pollution, and habitat loss. The world’s busiest shipping lanes often directly overlap with whales’ natural habitat. Thus, the shipping industry contributes significantly to these problems.   

The benefits from protected blue corridors extend far beyond whales. According to the WWF, growing evidence shows whales’ critical role in maintaining ocean health and our global climate – with one whale capturing the same amount of carbon as thousands of trees. 

Now let’s look at green shipping corridors.

Green Corridors

Green corridors are specific trade routes between major port hubs where zero-emission solutions are supported. Green corridors have been recognized as a key enabler for shipping’s transition and align with the Clydebank Declaration announced during COP-26 in Glasgow.   

The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping has kick-started two interesting green corridor projects. In March, the Center launched the European Green Corridors Network with five Port Authorities, an initiative to establish green corridors by the middle of this decade. A few weeks later, the Center announced its agreement with Chilean authorities to establish a network of green corridors allowing for green maritime transportation of goods in and out of Chile.   

There is a first phase for both projects, consisting of mapping and identifying the potential routes, vessel types, and fuels to establish high-impact green corridors in the region. – Here again, it is obvious that they will need to aggregate large quantities of data to be sure that the most effective green corridors are defined.  

But if green corridors reduce emissions, why not add biodiversity to the equation?

Equal Attention to net-zero and biodiversity

 Ecosystems are such delicate things. As one species disappears, the web of biodiversity begins to fray, as @Lynn Mento, CEO of Conservation Nation and Forbes Council Member eloquently puts it in her recent piece in Forbes.   

Climate change and biodiversity loss are mutually reinforcing threats. An estimated 55% of global GDP is moderately or highly dependent on biodiversity and ecosystem services, according to the Swiss Re Institute’s annual report Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services A business case for re/insurance.

 Biodiversity regulatory frameworks are still comparatively at an early stage, but they are expected to grow substantially in the coming years. Corporations will be required to document their impact on emissions, and the wheels are also turning for disclosure laws on biodiversity impact. In its draft Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, issued in February 2022, the EU suggested comprehensive due diligence obligations. 

Synthesis

We must strive to combine all of our needs for ocean health and wealth and there are concrete examples that show us how shipping and blue corridors can coexist in a way that makes sense. The Port Authorities in Vancouver have since 2014 worked on reducing the cumulative effects of shipping on whales throughout the southern coast of British Colombia in Canada.

Ships transiting the coast are asked to voluntarily slow down. Not only does this reduce underwater noise, but it also improves the fuel efficiency of ships and drastically reduces the likelihood of ships colliding with whales. This is effectively a voluntary ship slow-down for a certain period when whales are present in the region.

There is a similar initiative off the Californian coast. Their results show that participating ships contributed to a reduction of over 76,000 tons in regional greenhouse gas emissions, 2,000 plus tons of harmful NOx emissions avoided, and an estimated 50% decreased risk in whale strikes.

As mentioned, this is currently voluntary, but as time goes on it will likely be regulated through directives and laws.

Ocean data helps to establish net zero, green corridors. Ocean data can explain how and why biodiversity should be taken into the same equation. Initiatives already exist in the shipping sector for protecting biodiversity, such as the whale initiatives mentioned above.

It seems to me that we can achieve more for all by designing for smart co-existence of green and blue corridors.

Ocean data can lift us to a whole new level of insight – if only we share and combine it.

That is, to me, the essence of #dataforgood.