Further work on guidelines that would support IMO’s net-zero emissions plan for shipping ’indicates broad support’, according to Clean Shipping Coalition
A coalition of non-governmental organisations following the progress of environmental regulations under discussion at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London have claimed that constructive dialogue remains underway on guidelines to support the yet-to-be-adopted measure which would add teeth to a general international agreement to decarbonise shipping operations.
An extraordinary session of IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC)adjourned on 17 October 2025 without adopting a landmark treaty that could have – and may still – become the first legally-binding global rules setting out technical and economic measures that would lead an industry down a timeline of targets to decarbonise operations to the point of net zero.
Under discussion were additions to the maritime pollution treaty, Marpol, that includes the Net-Zero Framework (NZF). The NZF is made up of two main decarbonisation requirements: a global fuel standard to move away from heavily polluting fuels and a global GHG emissions pricing mechanism, often referred to as a carbon tax.
Allegations of behind-the-scenes diplomatic pressure tactics from the United States during the MEPC meeting surfaced in news reports that followed a vote to delay discussions to approve the amendment to the maritime pollution treaty by a year. Back-channel negotiations were also referenced during proceedings, including a mention by the chair of the MEPC,as ’corridor diplomacy’.
“While last week’s IMO decision to delay its Net Zero Framework was unwelcome, let’s be clear – this is just a postponement and not the end of the NZF”, Clean Shipping Coalition president Delaine McCullough said.
“During this week’s ISWG meeting, IMO member states have constructively engaged in preparing the guidelines that will be necessary once the NZF is adopted. This indicates broad support for the NZF and that progress can still be made on preparing for implementation.”
NGO Transport & Environment’s IMO manager Dr Alison Shaw said the negotiations this week advanced on the implementation guidelines for the NZF despite a lack of certainty about the future of the regulations.
In its report on the progress of the working group, UK-based classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) said the week-long meeting of delegations from IMO member states “demonstrates the work is continuing”.
Noting that the member states and the shipping industry more broadly evidenced “some uncertainty” around whether the working group would be convened at all given the delay to the NZF, the classification society said the IMO secretariat confirmed the working group was obliged to complete a set of actions determined and approved at the prior MEPC meeting in April 2025.
The IMO Secretariat also offered the working group a bit of insight into the status of the NZF, according to LR.
The IMO Secretariat is “still analysing the impact of the adjournment” of the extraordinary session in October 2025, LR said, but “MEPC 84 will be able to consider the programming” of the next extraordinary session to address NZF.
