The International Maritime Organization heads into a pivotal round of negotiations in London this week, as its 84th Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 84) convenes under the lingering shadow of last year’s stalled Net-Zero Framework and deep divisions over how to decarbonise global shipping.
While no final deal on the delayed climate package is expected at this stage, the meeting is widely viewed as a critical test of whether consensus can still be rebuilt on what would be the world’s first global carbon pricing system for an entire industry. Chaired by Liberia’s Harry Conway, the session marks the first gathering since governments voted in October to postpone adoption of the framework by a year, following a fraught 57–49 vote with 21 abstentions amid strong opposition from the United States and Saudi Arabia.
Negotiators now return to the issue under agenda discussions on greenhouse gas emissions from ships, with a hefty 57 submissions on the table, reflecting both the complexity and high stakes of the debate. A dedicated working group is expected to be established, alongside discussions on how to resume the extraordinary session where talks previously broke down.
Deliberations will be shaped by ongoing intersessional negotiations, which have continued technical work on key elements of the framework, including lifecycle fuel assessments and the scope of the IMO’s next greenhouse gas study. Observers say the meeting could begin to narrow gaps on contentious issues such as carbon pricing, revenue distribution and fuel-intensity rules, though divisions remain stark.
European states are pushing to preserve the framework’s pricing core, while Japan and parts of the shipping industry have floated alternative approaches, and the United States remains firmly opposed. Industry bodies including BIMCO, the International Chamber of Shipping and the World Shipping Council have warned that prolonged uncertainty risks delaying critical investment decisions, particularly around low- and zero-emission fuels, even as they reaffirm support for the IMO as the sector’s global regulator.
Beyond climate politics, the meeting carries a wide-ranging environmental agenda. Delegates are set to consider amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, including a proposal to designate the North-East Atlantic as an Emission Control Area for nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and particulate matter, a move that would significantly tighten regional emissions standards.
Further discussions will cover fuel consumption data reporting, operational carbon intensity, ballast water management, marine plastic litter, plastic pellet pollution, energy efficiency, air pollution prevention and underwater radiated noise. Taken together, the breadth of issues before MEPC 84 underlines its significance not only as a staging post in the battle over shipping’s Net-Zero Framework, but also as a forum shaping the wider environmental rulebook for global maritime trade.