The IMO Takes Historic Steps Towards Net-Zero Emissions by 2050

Following the conclusion of the latest session of its Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has made significant progress towards establishing a legally binding framework to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships globally, with the aim of achieving net-zero emissions by or around 2050.

The IMO Net-zero Framework is the first of its kind to combine mandatory emissions limits and GHG pricing across an entire industry sector.

Approved during MEPC 83 from April 7–11, 2025, the measures include a new fuel standard for ships and a global pricing mechanism for emissions.

These measures, set to be formally adopted in October 2025 before entering into force in 2027, will apply to large ocean-going ships over 5,000 gross tonnage, which account for 85% of the total CO2 emissions from international shipping.

Contentious MEPC Meeting

The MEPC meeting was marked by tensions, with the U.S. delegation withdrawing before its conclusion. The U.S. expressed opposition to economic measures based on GHG emissions or fuel choice.

Despite challenges, the agreement reached during the MEPC 83 session represents a significant step towards climate-neutral shipping by 2050.

Significant Outcomes of MEPC 83

Key outcomes from MEPC 83, as reported by Lloyd’s Register, include:

• Approval of Mid-term GHG reduction measures as amendments to MARPOL Annex VI.
• Completion of Phase 1 of Short-term GHG reduction measures.
• Approval of regulations to enhance data transparency on fuel oil reporting.
• Adoption of amendments to the NOx Technical Code 2008.
• Approval of the draft 2025 Code on Alerts and Indicators.
• Adoption of amendments to the 2023 Guidelines for the Inventory of Hazardous Materials.
• Agreement on an Experience Building Phase for the Hong Kong Convention on ship recycling.
• Development of a new framework for the control of ships’ biofouling.

For more details, refer to the full summary report from Lloyd’s Register here.