The territorial waters affected extend halfway into the 12-mile-wide Bab al-Mandab Strait, through which around 15% of the world's shipping traffic passes.
The company has previously sponsored the restoration of the Apollo basin in the gardens of the Versailles Palace and the renovation of the Musee National de la Marine.
The shift is Whirlpool’s latest effort to overhaul its more than century-old business as consumers pull back on large purchases following the upheaval of the pandemic.