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CLECAT hosted today a webinar on the ongoing negotiations currently held at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on measures to decarbonise international shipping, highlighting the critical steps being taken to reduce the environmental impact of maritime transport. Members had the opportunity to exchange with James Hookham, Director of the Global Shippers Forum (GSF) and Jim Corbett, Environmental Director at World Whipping Council (WSC).

Mr Hookham presented the main elements of the IMO Net Zero Framework, the commitment from IMO countries to develop mid and long-term measures to reach net-zero GHG emissions from shipping by 2050. Discussions are currently ongoing on two types of measures: a regulatory instrument such as a global fuel standard would limit the GHG intensity of fuels used onboard ships. An economic measure would incentivise the use of cleaner fuels on the basis of the ‘polluter-pays’ principle. Mr Corbett provided an update on the latest developments of the negotiations at IMO. He noted that efforts were focused on reconciling the different proposals into a workable solution, with the need to provide clear and binding requirements for all parties. The next meeting of the IMO’s Maritime Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) in April will be decisive in reaching an agreement on these mid-term measures, with a formal approval of the measures in October. It is expected that these measures would enter into force in March 2027, and apply effectively as of 2028.

Members also discussed the impact of economic measures on the cost of shipping, notably via the introduction of environmental surcharges by shipping companies. Participants stressed that surcharges must not become a revenue model for carriers at the expense of their customers or the broader goal of decarbonising maritime shipping. CLECAT advocates for an effective and transparent global system that would help forwarders and their clients understand what they are paying for, while being able to report the potential GHG emission savings in their Scope 3 emissions.