Establish monitoring and early warning system for passing by ships to identify in time large marine mammals

This commitment aims at the protection of the listed and endangered sperm whales and the tackling of a significant threat for these species: Their killing  and injury from collision with passing by ships.

The system for the monitoring and the early warning of passing by ships (SAvE Whales system, System  for the Avoidance of ship strikes with Endangered Whales) constitutes an innovative tool which has already been put under pilot implementation in 2020 and 2021 in Southwest Crete. This system localizes the position of sperm whales (at a distance of up to 7 kilometers) and transmits this information in real time to the ships approaching the area in order to reduce speed or reroute and thus avoid a potential collision with the sperm whales. The commitment provides for the implementation of this system in the area between Kythira, Cape Tainaron and Cape Maleas, which constitutes part of the Hellenic Trench, a key habitat for sperm whales. This area, according to the relevant announcement of the Ministry of Environment and Energy will be integrated into the new Ionian National Marine Park, and thus the implementation of this commitment is linked also to the implementation of Commitment 2.