COMPANY OF MASTER COMPANY OF MASTER MARINERS OF SRI LANKA MARINERS OF SRI LANKA

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Capt Ranjith WeerasingheCapt Ranjith Weerasinghe

CMMCMM

CMMCMM

IS THERE A NEED TO SHIFT THE TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEME OFF DONDRA HEAD IN FEAR OF SHIPS STRIKES OF WHALES

CMMCMMWe must make our position clear on this in the national perspective wherein there are few factors to consider in the interest of both the safety of mammals at sea and the economics of local Maritime Industry and the International Shipping Industry.

First we look at it in the practical Maritime First we look at it in the practical Maritime Industry perspectiveIndustry perspective

Secondly we look at it in the safety of whales Secondly we look at it in the safety of whales in our waters in our waters

CMM CMM

Traffic Separation Schemes are Traffic Separation Schemes are established in Territorial Waters to ensure established in Territorial Waters to ensure the marine traffic is controlled in the the marine traffic is controlled in the territory of a coastal state for the benefit of territory of a coastal state for the benefit of all parties; all parties;

– the coastal state to ensure safe navigation in the coastal state to ensure safe navigation in their territorytheir territory

– innocent passage allowed by the coastal state innocent passage allowed by the coastal state in its territory is not made a hindrance by in its territory is not made a hindrance by ships navigating within the schemeships navigating within the scheme

CMMCMMWhen the TSS off Dondra Hd. was established in 1981, the question of whales or whale watching was not in the picture; and the TSS was adopted by IMO on the request of Sri Lanka; and it had been already shifted once.

The fact that the TSS is in close proximity to the southern coast of Sri Lanka in between two major ports of Galle and Hambantota provides the very fundamental requisite for prospective maritime business to have ships frequenting the proximity of service ports. ‘Out of sight’ would result in ‘out of mind’;

CMMCMMSri Lanka or particularly her southern coast is a prominent land-fall for mariners after days of traversing through tumultuous Bay of Bengal on the east or the rough Arabian Sea on the west. Similarly, for vessels coming from south east from Australia or from south west from East Africa, Sri Lanka is a conspicuous land mark even in this day and age of electronic charts and satellite navigation.

Currently 1000 ships per month calling Off Port Galle for services is a direct result of having TSS in our coastal proximity. If this was shifted further 15nm southward, it would make the westward passage from Rondo Island coming out of Malacca St, thro’ bay of Bengal a direct course to north of Maldives making it the obvious OPL position for services.

CMM CMM On the other hand shifting of the TSS into International waters is a meaningless exercise as no traffic separation schemes are necessary in International waters and are not so adopted by IMO.

Even if the TSS is shifted away from the territorial waters, navigation rules do not stop ships from following their courses through the inshore area of the TSS closer to the land which could result in returning to the status before introducing the TSS in 80’s . A chaotic coastal Marine traffic off Dondra and Galle

A vessel entered Colombo harbour with a A vessel entered Colombo harbour with a dead whale on the bulbous bowdead whale on the bulbous bowPhoto by Capt Sopaka KarunasunderaPhoto by Capt Sopaka Karunasundera

Harbour PilotHarbour Pilot

CMM MemberCMM Member

CMMCMMNo proven statistics at all to suggest the whale deaths are due to ‘ship strikes’ in Traffic Separation Scheme off Dondra Head.

One photograph of a ship entering Colombo harbor with a dead whale carried on her bulbous bow internationalized a wrong message.

Nobody can say it’s the same ship strike on the whale or a floating carcass was scooped up by the pitching bow.

CMMCMMNone of our 275 members, the vast majority of Master Mariners of Sri Lanka whose sea experience ranging from 12- 40 years of sailing has had no ship strike on a whale ever.

We do not know if a whale would just lay idle when the sounds of an approaching ship can be felt by them miles away and the ship traffic is miles apart unlike busy Galle road, thus no near misses either.

CMMCMMNumber of dead whales washed ashore from time to time did not conclude the cause was ‘ship strike”; the prime example being the recent washing ashore of 50 or so mammals in Tuticorin; is that anything to do with marine traffic? .

If ‘ships strike’ is the issue, shifting the TSS to 15 Nm off land does not guaranty any safer place as we do not know the probability of movement of whales around the new shipping lane.

There are few other issues that must be paid particular attention of all of us interested in the well-being of marine life;

– Damaging coral reef of our coastal waters which takes hundreds of years to grow; comparatively whales will not take that long to get pregnant.

– Whale watching practices to see that the mammals are not disturbed as it has started off with no regulatory regime as the norm of the country.

– Killing of whales as “whaling” is done by many countries even after International whaling Commission’s stipulations. They kill more whales than those die of natural causes or accidentally get killed.

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Requesting IMO to shift the TSS further 15 miles south is denying innocent passage within our territory to international marine traffic as agreed in the Law of the sea convention wherein Freedom of the High seas and Innocent passage in territorial waters are guaranteed whilst the shortest possible international shipping route is safely established which ironically has helped our maritime industry locally.

The Company of Master Mariners of Sri LankaThe Company of Master Mariners of Sri Lanka

We do not see any positive outcome in shifting of the TSS from the current position either in the safety of Mammals or Safety of Navigation, not to mention the negative economic outcome in the local Maritime industry and International shipping Industry.

CMM CMM

Possible Alternatives;Possible Alternatives;– Insert a Cautionary Note on the Chart and Insert a Cautionary Note on the Chart and

promulgate a navigation warningpromulgate a navigation warning““Whale Area Reduce speed”Whale Area Reduce speed”

Post Look out & Avoid whalesPost Look out & Avoid whales

Report whale sighting to Shore Authority Report whale sighting to Shore Authority

– Shore Station Broadcasting of daily ‘whale Shore Station Broadcasting of daily ‘whale warning” to avoid whale accidents warning” to avoid whale accidents

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Thank YouThank You

Capt Ranjith WeerasingheCapt Ranjith Weerasinghe