IMO Approves New Regulatory Package to Decarbonize International Maritime Transport

Between April 7 and 11, 2025, during the 83rd session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) approved a new set of regulatory measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the international maritime transport sector.

The package, known as the IMO Net-Zero Framework, is part of the IMO’s strategy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and will be incorporated into Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), which currently covers 97% of the world’s merchant fleet by tonnage.

Key Measures Approved

The new regulatory framework establishes

• A mandatory global fuel standard for ships with gross tonnage above 5,000 – a group responsible for approximately 85% of CO₂ emissions in international maritime transport, and

• A GHG pricing mechanism, through the purchase and trading of compensation units, based on the annual fuel intensity per unit of energy used by each vessel.

Ships operating above the established annual fuel intensity limit will be required to purchase compensation units. These may be obtained through the transfer of surplus units from other vessels, the use of previously deposited credits, or contributions to the IMO Net-Zero Fund, a fund created to centralize and redistribute these resources based on incentive and mitigation criteria.

Incentives and Resource Redistribution

Vessels using zero- or near-zero-emission technologies will be financially rewarded. Additionally, the amounts collected through the fund will be allocated to:

• Reward low-emission ships;
• Support innovation and infrastructure development in developing countries;
• Finance training and the transfer of technology, in line with the IMO’s GHG strategy;
• Mitigate negative socioeconomic impacts on small island and least developed countries.

Next Steps

According to the IMO’s schedule, the measures are expected to be:

• Formally adopted in October 2025;
• Accompanied by regulatory guidelines by spring 2026; and
• Enter into force in 2027, 16 months after formal adoption.