Speaking on the show “Radio City” on radio Athina 9.84, Ioli Christopoulou, Policy Director and co-founder of The Green Tank, highlighted the critical situation of sperm whales in Greek waters, focusing on the Kythira Strait and efforts being made to prevent ship strikes through the SAvE Whales project.
Fewer than 200 individuals live in the Hellenic Trench area. They are considered a threatened species, and they face significant risks primarily from ship strikes, as the Mediterranean is a busy sea and a major shipping hub, Ioli Christopoulou explains. The Kythira Strait—a narrow passage for ships—is a crucial habitat for sperm whales. For this reason, it has been chosen as the site for a system that detects the presence of sperm whales and alerts passing vessels to slow down to avoid potential collisions.
The Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute conducts the main research on sperm whales, while the technology is being developed by the Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH) in Crete, with co-funding from the international environmental organization OceanCare and the Greek state. The initiative is carried out through a constructive collaboration involving the Ministry of Environment and Energy and the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (NECCA). The partnership was formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed in 2024.
“The major success was that last year, in 2024, the Greek state announced that this system is among the country’s major commitments for ocean and marine protection. Now we are moving forward in a coordinated way, with excellent collaboration,” says Ioli Christopoulou. “We expect that next year we will have a system that will no longer be in the testing and research phase but will be fully operational in 2026 and 2027.”
After the project is completed in 2028, the NECCA will take over the full operation of the system. “So it is a lasting legacy for the Greek state,” she emphasizes.
Listen to the full interview with journalist Elena Chatziioannou broadcast [in Greek] on 29/10/2025 on Athina 9.84 here.
Watch the video covering the second year of the SAvE Whales project here.
