IMO net-zero shipping framework loses ground as Liberia proposal gains allies
In the United Kingdom, Ship & Bunker reports support for the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework is fading at the 84th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee in London, with a rival framework submitted by Liberia, Argentina, and Panama emerging as the frontrunner alternative.
The Liberia proposal adjusts emissions targets based on the demonstrated uptake of commercially viable low-carbon fuels, scrapping the proposed IMO Net-Zero Fund in favor of credit trading, banking, and limited borrowing for compliance. The US, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Gulf states have all signaled support or interest. China has indicated openness to alternatives without backing any specific submission. The EU, Norway, and Pacific Island states remain behind the original framework.
Japan has offered a middle-ground paper that retains the NZF’s fuel intensity trajectory but removes mandatory fund payments and eases 2030 emissions targets to avoid constraining LNG use. Saudi Arabia has called for the committee to skip a planned extraordinary session and instead convene an intersessional working group in September, a move that would delay any final decision until MEPC 85 in November and give opponents of the NZF more time to reshape or replace it. MEPC 84 runs until May 1.
Category: Sustainable Marine Fuels
