The US calls on the IMO to discard its Net Zero Framework for shipping, citing lack of consensus and significant flaws, according to Seatrade Maritime News.
The United States has urged the International Maritime Organization to scrap its Net Zero Framework for shipping, arguing that the plan lacks consensus and contains serious shortcomings, reports the UK's Seatrade Maritime News.
In a submission to the 84th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee, the US backed Algeria and several Gulf states in opposing the framework, stating that it would stifle debate and detract from member-led discussions. Washington called for an end to the consideration of the Net Zero Framework entirely and requested that the extraordinary session adjourned until November 2026 not be resumed.
Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and the UAE also expressed that the Net Zero Framework presented in October 2025 cannot garner the consensus needed for implementation.
Meanwhile, Argentina, Liberia, and Panama submitted that the opposition stems from geopolitical, economic, and procedural concerns. They warned that penalties on greenhouse gas emissions could reach US$300 billion by 2035, disproportionately affecting smaller operators.
Their submission also cited risks of the system functioning more as a penalty mechanism than as an innovation incentive, reduced flexibility from expiring surplus units, and uncertainty over reward mechanisms, life cycle assessment values, and governance of the IMO Fund.
