IFAN and Living Oceans Foundation to Launch “Navigate with Care: Protect Our Oceans” Campaign.
The International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN) and the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) are joining forces to promote safer, more sustainable boating through the “Navigate with Care: Protect Our Oceans” campaign. This collaboration, born from a collaboration fostered by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development’s Foundations Dialogue, highlights the power of joint efforts in ocean conservation.
Why It Matters:
Every year, vessels around the world inadvertently damage fragile marine ecosystems, often due to a lack of awareness or inadequate navigational planning. Groundings, propeller scarring, and improper anchoring harm coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds—critical for ocean health. The “Navigate with Care” campaign will address these threats by educating mariners on safe navigation, Aids to Navigation (AtoNs), and best practices to minimize environmental damage while enhancing safety at sea.
“At IFAN, our mission is to ensure safe navigation while also preserving the marine environment,” said Catherine Mulvihill, CEO of IFAN. “By working alongside the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, we are helping to raise awareness of how updated navigational charts, knowledge of collision regulations, and proper route planning can not only protect mariners but also ensure the long-term health of marine ecosystems.”
“This campaign is a direct outcome of the Foundations Dialogue, and we are excited to see it come to life,” said Alexandra Dempsey, CEO of the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation. “It’s not just about navigation safety—it’s about fostering a culture of ocean stewardship. By helping mariners understand their impact on the marine environment, we can work toward healthier oceans for generations to come. “
What to Expect:
The campaign will provide mariners with practical resources, including guidelines for safe navigation, educational materials on AtoNs, and tips for avoiding sensitive marine areas. Updates will be available through IFAN and KSLOF’s websites, newsletters, and social media.
Join the Movement: Take the Pledge
Commit to navigating with care and protecting what matters most.
Whether you’re a professional mariner, recreational boater, or ocean advocate, your actions on the water make a difference. By taking the Navigate with Care Pledge, you’re standing up for safer seas and healthier marine ecosystems.
When you take the pledge, you commit to:
- Using navigation tools and Aids to Navigation (AtoNs) to avoid damaging sensitive marine habitats
- Anchoring and navigating responsibly to prevent harm to coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests
- Following the IALA Maritime Buoyage System and respecting local no-go zones and marine protected areas
- Adhering to SOLAS and COLREGS to prevent collisions and enhance safety at sea
- Promoting safe and sustainable boating by leading through example
As a token of your commitment, you’ll receive a Navigate with Care Badge to show you’re helping protect our oceans—one voyage at a time.
Navigate with Care Webinar Series
Join us for Navigate with Care, a free webinar series designed to empower mariners, conservationists, and ocean advocates with the knowledge and tools to protect sensitive marine ecosystems through safe and sustainable navigation practices. Brought to you by the International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN) and the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF), these webinars will explore the intersection of boating and marine protection—offering practical advice, real-world case studies, and interactive Q&As.
Whether you’re a seasoned captain, a recreational boater, or someone who cares about the ocean, these webinars will help you chart a course that protects both people and the planet.
Attending live or watching the recordings, we hope you can join us for this webinar!
Upcoming Webinars:
Navigate with Care: Understanding Aids to Navigation
Date: Thursday, September 18, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM EDT / 4:00 PM CEST
Aids to Navigation (AtoNs)—such as buoys, beacons, and channel markers—are essential tools that help mariners safely chart their course. But their role goes far beyond avoiding accidents: when used properly, AtoNs also help protect fragile marine ecosystems and the wildlife that depends on them. From preventing vessel groundings on coral reefs to guiding boats away from marine mammal habitats, AtoNs play a critical part in both maritime safety and ocean conservation. In this webinar, we’ll explore how understanding and using AtoNs contributes to safe and sustainable navigation. Experts will explain how AtoNs are designed, maintained, and deployed—especially in environmentally sensitive areas—and how they interact with marine protected areas, Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs), and coastal ecosystems. We’ll also share real-world examples of how smart use of navigational tools has helped reduce damage to marine habitats and made the seas safer for everyone.
Navigate with Care: Reefs are Nature’s Ally
Date: Thursday, October 16, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM FJT / 5:00 PM EST / 11:00 PM CEST
Coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass meadows are vital coastal ecosystems that do far more than support marine life. They buffer coastlines from storms, support food security through fisheries, drive local economies through tourism, and even contribute to cleaner, healthier waters. But their value often goes unrecognized—until it’s lost. In this session, we’ll spotlight how these habitats benefit boaters, coastal communities, and national economies. Conservation scientists and local leaders will share stories and data on the many services these ecosystems provide, along with what’s at stake if we fail to protect them. Attendees will come away with a deeper understanding of why safeguarding nature is also an investment in safety, livelihoods, and long-term resilience.
Previous Webinars:
Navigate with Care: Environmental Impacts of Boating
Date: Thursday, August 21, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM EDT / 4:00 PM CEST
Every boat that enters the water has the potential to harm marine ecosystems. Whether through propeller scars in seagrass beds, anchors dropped on coral reefs, or noise disrupting sensitive marine species, boating activity leaves a mark. But with the right tools and awareness, these impacts can be minimized. Boaters can be powerful allies in marine conservation—no one is better positioned to protect the ocean than those who rely on it. By navigating with care, boaters can help safeguard marine habitats and lead the way in preserving our oceans for generations to come.
This webinar will examine how boating practices affect marine life, with a special focus on coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and marine mammals. Experts will present science-based insights and offer practical solutions, including the use of mooring buoys, route planning, and properly interpreting navigational aids. We’ll also highlight successful conservation initiatives led by the boating community to reduce threats and protect the marine environment.
Navigate with Care: Introduction to Safe Navigation
Date: Thursday, July 24, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM EDT / 4:00 PM CEST
In this first #NavigateWithCare webinar, we’ll hear from maritime professionals and environmental advocates working at the intersection of ocean safety and sustainability. From the rules that govern waterways to the critical role of Aids to Navigation (AtoNs), this webinar will explore the principles that help mariners avoid accidents and protect fragile marine ecosystems. Groundings, anchor damage, and collisions with marine life are preventable—but only if mariners understand and apply safe navigation practices. Speakers will share best practices and demonstrate how a culture of safe navigation benefits both people and the planet.
For more information:
- IFAN: www.ifan-maritime.org
- KSLOF: www.livingoceansfoundation.org
- UN Ocean Decade: www.oceandecade.org
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About the International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN):
The International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing maritime safety, protecting marine ecosystems, and strengthening global navigation capabilities. IFAN ensures safer and more efficient shipping routes while minimizing environmental risks by supporting projects focused on enhancing Aids to Navigation (AtoNs) frameworks, developing technical expertise, and providing AtoN infrastructure. Through strategic partnerships, funding, and technical expertise, IFAN plays a pivotal role in securing safe, sustainable global waterways and safeguarding the world’s ocean for future generations. To learn more or inquire about funding opportunities, visit www.ifan-maritime.org.
About the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF):
The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the health of the world’s oceans. Through science, outreach, and education, the Foundation works to conserve coral reefs and other tropical marine ecosystems, enhance ocean literacy, and inspire conservation action. As part of its commitment to Science Without Borders®, the Foundation provides educational resources and programs to empower people worldwide to protect our living oceans for future generations. Learn more at www.livingoceansfoundation.org.
About the UN Ocean Decade:
Proclaimed in 2017 by the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) (‘the Ocean Decade’) seeks to stimulate ocean science and knowledge generation to reverse the decline of the state of the ocean system and catalyze new opportunities for sustainable development of this massive marine ecosystem. The vision of the Ocean Decade is ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’. The Ocean Decade provides a convening framework for scientists and stakeholders from diverse sectors to develop the scientific knowledge and the partnerships needed to accelerate and harness advances in ocean science to achieve a better understanding of the ocean system, and deliver science-based solutions to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The UN General Assembly mandated UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to coordinate the preparations and implementation of the Decade. Learn more at www.oceandecade.org