Shipping sector eyes carbon trading mechanism
Crucial talks at the IMO focus on a two-tier emissions trading scheme combined with a marine fuel standard
Negotiations getting underway at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) could result in agreement for the first time in a binding regulation that would aim to decarbonise the shipping sector by 2050. The IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) will meet in London from 7–11 April to build on work already carried out in working groups. The IMO’s agreed GHG Strategy commits member states to adopting new mid-term measures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships in late 2025, including a fuel standard and GHG emissions pricing mechanism. “The ICS stands ready to assist wherever possible, but ultimately it is now in the hands of governments to deliver” Platten
Also in this section
12 March 2026
Role of world’s largest carbon cap-and-trade market under scrutiny as war in Iran threatens to drive EU energy costs to unsustainable levels
10 March 2026
Europe urgently needs to bring more projects to FID, as CCS investors warn they might divert capital to faster-growing regions
9 January 2026
A shift in perspective is needed on the carbon challenge, the success of which will determine the speed and extent of emissions cuts and how industries adapt to the new environment
2 January 2026
This year may be a defining one for carbon capture, utilisation and storage in the US, despite the institutional uncertainty






