The Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 19) met for its 19th session from 31 March to 1 April 2025.
As the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) is expected to meet for its 83rd session in person at IMO Headquarters in London from 7 to 11 April 2025, the International Maritime Organization is in talks regarding various matters surrounding maritime decarbonization and the relevant measures needed to achieve it. ISWG-GHG 19 met before the Committee and discussed the following:
Discussions on mid-term GHG reduction measures
The 2023 IMO GHG Strategy commits Member States to adopting new mid-term measures to reduce GHG emissions from ships in late 2025, including:
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a technical element, namely a goal-based marine fuel standard regulating the phased reduction of a marine fuel’s GHG intensity; and
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an economic element, on the basis of a maritime GHG emissions pricing mechanism.
The Intersessional Working Group continued discussions on the mid-term GHG reduction measures, to be presented as draft amendments to Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).
The Chair prepared, for consideration by the Working Group, an updated version of the proposed MARPOL Annex VI amendments discussed at the 18th session of the Group in February this year, incorporating some elements contained in the “bridging option” presented to that session. Taking into account the comments raised during the deliberations, a revised version was prepared for further discussion during the session of the parent body, the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83, session from 7 to 11 April 2025).
The outcome of the work of the Group will be presented to MEPC 83. A Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships is then expected to be established to continue the development of the draft MARPOL amendments for approval at the end of the Committee’s session.
Following approval, the draft amendments to Annex VI of MARPOL would then be circulated, with a view to adoption at an extraordinary session of MEPC in October 2025.
Once adopted, these amendments would incorporate the proposed mid-term GHG reduction measures into the MARPOL Annex VI treaty, which currently has 108 Parties representing 97.3% of the world’s merchant shipping tonnage.
