The shipping industry faces another year of uncertainty over the global shipping carbon tax. Negotiations at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) concluded without agreement on the Net-Zero Framework, resulting in a year-long adjournment.

 The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) session, held in London, ended without consensus or a vote on proposed amendments to MARPOL Annex VI. Consequently, the formal adoption of the framework has been delayed until at least late 2026.

splash247 reported that industry stakeholders, including the Global Maritime Forum, the International Chamber of Shipping, and Danish Shipping, have expressed concern about the delay, warning that it may slow investment and hinder progress toward long-term sustainability goals.

As reported by Lloyds List, industry experts who attended London International Shipping Week in September highlighted that failure to adopt the Net-Zero Framework could lead to fragmented regional regulations. Countries committed to decarbonization would move forward independently, and such divergence would likely increase compliance complexity and drive up costs across the industry.

Source: splash247, Lloyds List