MEPC 83: Outcomes, reactions and implications

Approved by the Marine Environment Protection Committee during its 83rd session (MEPC 83) from 7–11 April 2025, the decisions 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 entry into force in 2027, will become mandatory for large ocean-going ships over 5,000 gross tonnage, which emit 85% of the total CO₂ emissions from international shipping.  

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. Now, it is important to continue working together, engaging in dialogue and listening to one another, if we are to create the conditions for successful adoption.

… said IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez. 

Meanwhile, Harry Conway, the MEPC Chair, summed it up by saying that they had started with an empty glass and no agreed measures, but by the time they were leaving, the glass was no longer empty. He acknowledged that while it hadn’t been filled to the brim, real progress had been made.

Key elements of the IMO Net-Zero Framework 

The IMO Net-Zero Framework will be included in a new Chapter 5 of Annex VI (Prevention of air pollution from ships) to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).  

MARPOL Annex VI currently has 108 Parties, covering 97% of the world’s merchant shipping fleet by tonnage, and already includes mandatory energy efficiency requirements for ships. 

The goal is to achieve the climate targets set out in the 2023 IMO Strategy on the Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, accelerate the introduction of zero and near zero GHG fuels, technologies and energy sources, and support a just and equitable transition.   

Under the draft regulations, ships will be required to comply with: 

1. Global fuel standard: Ships must reduce, over time, their annual greenhouse gas fuel intensity (GFI) – that is, how much GHG is emitted for each unit of energy used. This is calculated using a well-to-wake approach.  
2. Global economic measure: Ships emitting above GFI thresholds will have to acquire remedial units to balance its deficit emissions, while those using zero or near-zero GHG technologies will be eligible for financial rewards.  

Sotiris Raptis, Secretary General of the European Shipowners, considered agreement a good starting point for further work, describing it as a framework upon which necessary investment in the production of clean fuels could be built.

Dr. Marie Fricaudet, Senior Research Fellow at the UCL Energy Institute, also noted that the adoption marked a first step in the right direction, with a portion, albeit a small one, of shipping emissions now effectively subject to a global levy. However, she emphasized that the projected emissions reduction of around 10% by 2030 compared to 2008 remained far below the level of ambition needed to meet the IMO’s emission reduction target. 

Additionally, Anaïs Rios, Shipping Policy Officer at Seas At Risk, stated that the outcome of the week’s discussions fell short of even the IMO’s baseline, effectively rendering the 2030 decarbonization target unachievable and posing potentially severe long-term consequences for both people and the planet. 

Emma Fenton, Senior Director of Climate Diplomacy at climate non-profit, Opportunity Green, mirrored that statement, saying that the weak measure approved meant aiming for a low bar and dragging their feet to get there. They remarked that the IMO had turned down a historic opportunity to champion the perseverance, leadership, and ambition of climate-vulnerable states—among them Pacific Islands, Caribbean, and African nations—who were on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

This is a major milestone for climate policy and a turning point for shipping. Our industry has long been labelled as ‘hard to abate,’ but record industry investment and a new global measure can turn the tide on that,

… said World Shipping Council President & CEO Joe Kramek, with WSC’s Vice-President and lead IMO representative Bryan Wood-Thomas adding that the production of clean fuels and energy sources will create economic opportunities across the globe and have environmental benefits that will last for generations. However, there is considerable work remaining. 

While the targets are a step forward, they will need to be improved if they are to drive the rapid fuel shift that will enable the maritime sector to reach net zero by 2050. While we applaud the progress made, meeting the targets will require immediate and decisive investments in green fuel technology and infrastructure.

 … Jesse Fahnestock, Director of Decarbonisation at the Global Maritime Forum said, adding that the IMO will have opportunities to make these regulations more impactful over time, and national and regional policies also need to prioritise scalable e-fuels and the infrastructure needed for long-term decarbonisation,”

On another front, the President of the Union of Greek Shipowners, Melina Travlos, stated that the failure to recognize the vital role and the unfair treatment of transitional fuels, such as LNG, undermines the investments that have already been made as well as the industry’s efforts to decarbonize. On the other hand, Aoife O’Leary, Founder of the SASHA Coalition, said that delegates have agreed a measure that may lock in the use of environmentally destructive biofuels and LNG, adding that the sector’s only credible path to net zero that doesn’t compromise biodiversity is green hydrogen e-fuels. 

Ensuring compliance  

There will be two levels of compliance with GHG Fuel Intensity targets: a Base Target and a Direct Compliance Target at which ships would be eligible to earn “surplus units”.   

Ships that emit above the set thresholds can balance their emissions deficit by:  

• Transferring surplus units from other ships;   
• Using surplus units they have already banked;   
• Using remedial units acquired through contributions to the IMO Net-Zero Fund.   

IMO Net-Zero Fund 

The IMO Net-Zero Fund will be established to collect pricing contributions from emissions. These revenues will then be disbursed to:  

• Reward low-emission ships;  
• Support innovation, research, infrastructure and just transition initiatives in developing countries;  
• Fund training, technology transfer and capacity building to support the IMO GHG Strategy; and  
• Mitigate negative impacts on vulnerable States, such as Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries.  

IAPH Managing Director, Patrick Verhoeven,  emphasized that ports need regulatory certainty at the global level, along with internationally agreed standards to prepare for receiving vessels powered by new zero and near-zero carbon fuels. He highlighted the importance of ensuring port and terminal readiness for safe bunkering operations, as well as the development of masterplans to establish the necessary infrastructure for loading and unloading these fuels as cargo. Verhoeven noted that this transition involves significant risk management and multi-billion dollar investment decisions—particularly challenging for developing countries. He also stressed the need for upskilling port personnel and allowing for substantial lead times to implement these changes in line with shipping demands.

Other MEPC 83 outcomes 

The meeting discussed a range of issues related to protecting the marine environment from shipping activities, with the following key outcomes: 

• Adoption of 2025 Action Plan to combat marine plastic litter;  
• Progress in the review of the Ballast Water Management Convention; 
• Approval of a proposal to designate the North-East Atlantic as an Emission Control Area and agreement in principle to designate two new Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas off South America’s Pacific coast; 
• Approval of the draft Work plan on the development of a regulatory framework for the use of Onboard Carbon Capture Storage systems (OCCS) 
• Approval of draft amendments to regulation 27 of MARPOL Annex VI regarding accessibility of the IMO Data Collection System 
• Adoption of amendments to the 2021 Guidelines on the operational carbon intensity reduction factors relative to reference lines (CII reduction factors guidelines, G3) 
• Approval of a new output to develop a legally binding framework on biofouling management, to prevent the spread of harmful invasive aquatic species 

However, Eelco Leemans, Technical Advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance, expressed disappointment that during MEPC 83, governments postponed consideration of a widely supported proposal for a resolution encouraging member states and ship operators to avoid using scrubbers in highly vulnerable regions like the Arctic. 

Next steps 

Upon approval, the draft amendments to MARPOL Annex VI will be formally circulated to IMO Member States, followed by: 

• October 2025 (MEPC/ES.2): Adoption of the amendments during an extraordinary session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee.   
• Spring 2026 (MEPC 84): Approval of detailed implementation guidelines.  
• 2027: Expected entry into force, 16 months after adoption (in accordance with MARPOL articles).