Marine Environment and Net Zero at the IMO
The IMO’s MEPC met for its 84the session between 27 April and 1 May 2026.
Net Zero
Issues of how shipping can progress towards net zero on or around 2050 dominated the week. Following the adjournment of the Committee’s extraordinary session last October, which was due to adopt the required amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, various papers and proposals were submitted which seek to unlock the deadlock.
To put it simply, member states can be separated in to three camps. One camp seeks the dropping of the economic measures (i.e. the levy on CO2 emissions) and thus cancel creation of the IMO Net Zero Fund; one camp seeks to keep the Net Zero Framework as previously negotiated and agreed (but not adopted), with both technical and economic measures; and a smaller camp sits in between, open to a variety of GHG reduction ideas.
The impasse extended until well into Friday evening as Terms of Reference were negotiated for a new intersessional working group that will take place in September (the 22nd intersessional meeting on this subject at the IMO), at which further options to make progress towards consensus will be explored.
This issue will continue to cogitate … more to follow later in the year
Global Fleet Fuel Usage
The Committee received a report of the fuel oil consumption data for 2024 submitted to the IMO Ship Fuel Oil Consumption Database in GISIS.
Data was reported by 29,690 ships (=82.1% of target) with a combined gross tonnage of 1,357 million gross tonnes.
223 million tonnes of fuel on a quantity basis, were used by the aforementioned 29,690 ships. Total fuel used was 5.7% more in 2024 compared to 2023.
It was noted that changes in seaborne navigation patterns (e.g. ships rerouting from the Red Sea/Suez Canal to the Cape of Good Hope) are potentially important factors contributing to the increase in fuel consumption in 2024 compared with previous years owing to the increase in distance travelled.
Plastic Pollution
A new code will be developed to address issues of plastic pollution. The IMO’s Pollution Prevention and Response sub committee has been directed to develop a proposal based on it falling under either SOLAS or MARPOL Annex III. It was noted that SOLAS is appropriate to address issues of cargo securing and safety, and MARPOL is appropriate in respect of pollution. It was also noted that MARPOL Annex III is currently written to address pollution from harmful substances, and that plastic pellets are not in themselves harmful; thus such issues remain to be taken into account as new regulations are developed.
The Nautical Institute was represented by Captain Chris O’Flaherty AFNI, Capt Seyedvahid Vakili AFNI and Mr James Spear MNI.
More details for all IMO sessions can be found on Seaways, our monthly technical magazine.