imo climate — imo climate — The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has voiced its disappointment after the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Extraordinary Session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in London failed to reach an agreement on the proposed Net-Zero Framework (NZF) for the shipping industry.
The NZF aimed to introduce the first global carbon pricing mechanism for any industrial sector, which would provide a clear pathway for international shipping’s transition to net zero emissions. However, the member states were unable to come to a consensus, delaying a crucial step in defining the industry’s climate action.
ICS Secretary General Thomas A. Kazakos stated, “We are disappointed that member states have not been able to agree a way forward at this meeting.” He emphasised the need for clarity within the industry to secure the necessary investments for decarbonisation, in alignment with the IMO’s greenhouse gas (GHG) strategy.
Kazakos highlighted the commitment of the shipping community to work in collaboration with the IMO, recognising it as the appropriate body to establish the global regulations required for a worldwide industry. “The IMO is the best organisation to deliver the global regulations needed,” he remarked.
Additionally, the ICS represents all sectors and trades within the maritime industry, accounting for over 80 per cent of the world’s merchant fleet. This broad representation underscores the significance of the NZF’s delay, as it impacts the entire shipping community.
European shipowners echoed the sentiments of the ICS, expressing regret over the postponement of the NZF’s adoption. The delay, pushed back by a year, has raised concerns about the future of climate action within the sector.
Sotiris Raptis, Secretary General of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA), stated, “The IMO Net-Zero Framework is essential to give the industry the certainty it needs and to send a strong signal to the market to produce the clean fuels necessary to get to net zero.” Raptis reiterated that shipping is an international industry that requires meaningful global regulations for decarbonisation.
Raptis further stressed the importance of global rules to ensure a level playing field in international shipping and to facilitate the energy transition needed in the sector. He confirmed that European shipowners will continue to collaborate with international partners to reach an agreement on the IMO NZF.
The inability to advance the NZF represents not only a setback for the shipping industry but also a missed opportunity for global climate action. Stakeholders within the maritime sector are now looking ahead, hoping for future discussions that will yield productive outcomes.
