Countries reach landmark deal to cut shipping emissions

The framework – agreed during the UN International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee – aims for net-zero emissions from the sector by 2050 and will be formally adopted in October before coming into force in 2027.

They will apply to large ocean-going vessels over 5,000 gross tonnage, which collectively account for 85% of carbon dioxide emissions from the marine shipping fleet.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez hailed the breakthrough, emphasising the collaborative spirit that led to the deal.

“The approval of draft amendments to MARPOL Annex VI mandating the IMO net-zero framework represents another significant step in our collective efforts to combat climate change, to modernize shipping and demonstrates that IMO delivers on its commitments.”

MARPOL Annex VI refers to provisions in the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, specifically addressing air pollution.

It already includes mandatory energy efficiency requirements for ships and has 108 Parties covering roughly 97% of the world’s merchant shipping fleet by tonnage.

The framework introduces a dual approach: a global fuel standard that will progressively lower the annual greenhouse gas fuel intensity of marine fuels, and a greenhouse gas pricing mechanism requiring high-emitting ships to pay for their excess pollution.

Under the new system, ships that exceed emissions limits will need to acquire remedial units to offset their excess pollution. Meanwhile, vessels operating with zero or near-zero emissions will be eligible for financial rewards, creating a market-driven push toward cleaner maritime transport.

As it was previously reported, air pollution remains one of the most serious environmental threats to human health. In Central Asian countries, the concentration of PM2.5 in the air regularly exceeds the permissible limits. Read more in a Kazinform News Agency correspondent's article.