The countries that are part of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will meet from October 14 to 17 in the extraordinary session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC E.2) to formally adopt the Net-Zero Framework (NZF), designed to help achieve the IMO’s climate goals established in the 2023 Revised Strategy. The anticipated adoption of the legally binding regulation will be followed by a round of technical negotiations (ISWG-GHG-20) on the key details of the design and implementation of this flagship climate regulation, which will take place from October 20 to 24.
In April 2025, the IMO agreed on the NZF in a vote at MEPC 83, with a clear majority of countries (63) in favor, including China, Brazil, the EU-27, South Korea, and India, against a minority opposed (16) led by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia. Twenty-five countries abstained, including Pacific Island States, which chose to abstain as a protest against the decision-making process and the low level of ambition of the agreed framework. The main supporters are expected to be: most BRIC countries, the EU-27, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Panama, and Chile.
The shipping sector supports the adoption through the World Shipping Council (WSC), with over 180 global shipping companies stating that the NZF is necessary to provide global regulatory certainty that “enables the sector to do its job.”
Blocking by Oil Countries
A minority of oil countries led by Saudi Arabia and the United States have been trying to undermine the agreement since April. The Pacific Island States abstained during the April vote as a protest against the process. Critical details of the NZF policy still need to be finalized between its adoption and 2027, when it will enter into force, including the definition and rewards for zero-emission energy and technologies, and how the revenues, which will amount to $15 billion per year starting in 2030, will be spent.
“While the largest and wealthiest nations debate the threat to livelihoods, Pacific island nations are forced to consider the threat to their lives and their very statehood. That is the magnitude of what is at stake. We are here [at the IMO] to lead with great ambition, as we always have. Our abstention at MEPC 83 was a signal: Tuvalu will not simply approve weak outcomes. In this extraordinary session, we call on all delegations to set a course for a just and equitable transition. This is about more than shipping. It is about survival. The IMO must find the courage to deliver this time,” emphasized Simon Kofe, Minister of Justice, Communication, and Foreign Affairs of Tuvalu.
Starting Point
“The successful adoption of the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework is essential as a starting point for the international shipping sector to achieve the emission reductions that are so desperately needed. But that is only the beginning, not the end, of the ability of States to drive the ambition demanded by climate-vulnerable countries.
“Negotiations around the definition of zero or near-zero fuels and the distribution of revenues will consolidate this agreement as one that prioritizes justice and equity in the maritime transition,” said Emma Fenton, Senior Director of Diplomacy at Opportunity Green.
“The Net Zero Fund, created under the IMO’s Net Zero Framework, offers a crucial opportunity to make the maritime transition more equitable. For Africa, where fleets are limited and aging and where access to traditional ship financing has been scarce, fair access to this fund could enable vessel renewal and support the continent’s ambitions under the African Continental Free Trade Area. To ensure a truly just and inclusive transition, it is essential that the fund’s design includes specific financing windows for developing economies,” commented Maria Ogbugo, maritime consultant at the African Policy Research Institute.
“The IMO’s Net-Zero Framework is far from perfect, as it lacks ambition, adequate safeguards against the adoption of unsustainable fuels, and does not provide the levels of guaranteed funding needed for a fair and equitable energy transition in the shipping sector, but it represents a fundamental step forward. During this meeting, IMO member states must not only adopt the Net-Zero Framework, but also agree on a realistic and robust plan to address the framework’s shortcomings and put shipping on a truly sustainable path towards zero-emission shipping,” highlighted Delaine McCullough, chair of the Clean Shipping Coalition (CSC).
Regulatory Clarity
“The clarity that the adoption of the Net Zero Framework will bring should not be underestimated. This key political signal and the associated guidelines have the potential to unlock billions of dollars in investment in the production of scalable zero-emission fuels from the outset. Only with its adoption as soon as possible will the IMO have the opportunity to meet its revised GHG strategy objectives for zero or near-zero emission fuels to account for between 5% and 10% of marine fuel by 2030,” explained Nishatabbas Rehmatulla, senior researcher at the UCL Energy Institute, Shipping and Oceans Research Group.
“Ahead of the vote on the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework, the facts are undeniable: LNG is not a viable solution for shipping. Methane, a very potent greenhouse gas, 82 times more than CO2, from LNG-powered ships, grew by 180% between 2016 and 2023, directly contradicting industry rhetoric. LNG is fundamentally incompatible with shipping’s decarbonization goals. Regardless of its origin (fossil, biogas, or e-LNG), methane leaks throughout the fuel’s entire life cycle. LNG must be excluded from the Net-Zero Framework, or the IMO risks allowing a false solution and undermining its climate credibility,” said Elissama Menezes, director of Equal Routes.
Leading the Agreement
“Member states have never waited to be given permission to lead. Regardless of the United States’ stance, member states must stand firm and bring the Net-Zero Framework to the finish line in October.
The April agreement of the International Maritime Organization is a victory for our climate, our health and our oceans, as it is the first time the shipping industry has agreed on a global carbon price. They must now implement it, not only for the planet we share, but to honor the family legacy we owe to future generations: a legacy of health, safety and prosperity. We applaud this decisive step towards a fair and zero-emission future in shipping,” said Davina Hurt, Climate Policy Director at Pacific Environment.
On the other hand, the main international maritime associations and organizations reiterate their strong support for the adoption by the world’s governments at the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) of the “Net-Zero Framework” at the crucial extraordinary session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee to be held next week (October 14-17).
The global industry remains fully committed to collaborating with IMO Member States to successfully implement this carefully balanced regulatory package in order to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or around that date, with the necessary incentives to reduce the risk of investment in new green marine fuels, accelerate the full decarbonization of international shipping and carry out a just transition for the maritime workforce.
Global standards
Only global standards will allow a global industry to decarbonize. Without the framework, shipping would risk being subjected to an increasing patchwork of unilateral regulations, which would increase costs without effectively contributing to decarbonization. With industry support, this is a unique and historic opportunity for governments to establish a comprehensive global framework, which will be strictly applied worldwide in order to incentivize the shipping industry’s transition to net-zero emissions, while ensuring a level playing field.
