The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) recognized the vulnerability of the Persian Gulf and adjacent waters, and warned that these attacks could cause large-scale marine pollution, such as that derived from hydrocarbons, noxious and potentially hazardous substances, and hazardous waste from missiles, drones, fires and explosions.
The committee approved a resolution condemning the attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz region and the risks of marine pollution they entail. Likewise, the committee requested the organization’s Secretary-General, Arsenio Domínguez, to monitor the environmental impacts and present a report at the next session of the IMO Council.
The warning was made within the framework of the 84th session of the MEPC, a session that concluded with a commitment to restore consensus on emissions from global maritime transport, while raising the alarm about environmental risks in the Strait of Hormuz and adopting new measures to reduce air pollution in the North-East Atlantic.
Domínguez noted that “we have gotten back on course, but we need to regain trust. I encourage you to maintain that momentum in the work you carry out during the intersessional period and to prepare documents that can achieve consensus.”
The Committee will resume its 2nd extraordinary session on Friday, 4 December 2026, subject to confirmation by the 85th session (MEPC 85), scheduled to be held from 30 November to 3 December.
This week, nearly 100 delegations took the floor to express their views on the adoption of “mid-term measures” aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships, known as the IMO Net-Zero Emissions Framework, and numerous proposals were presented on how to advance the negotiations.
The committee agreed to establish an intersessional working group to resolve various issues and foster greater convergence on a global measure before MEPC 85, which will be held in six months. Member States may submit new amendments and adjustments to previously approved draft amendments.
Two intersessional meetings will be scheduled (1 to 4 September and 23 to 27 November) prior to the 85th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 85, 30 November to 3 December), as well as a one-day expert workshop on “chain of custody” models that allow tracking the origin of fuels and their movement along the supply chain, ensuring that emissions are properly recorded and verified.
