U.S. Blocks Global Shipping Emissions Fee at International Maritime Meeting

IMO

A cargo-laden container ship approaches a port.

The United States has successfully blocked the adoption of a proposed global fee on shipping emissions, after the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adjourned its meeting in London on Friday without reaching an agreement.

Delegates from the world’s largest maritime nations had been negotiating regulations aimed at steering the shipping industry away from fossil fuels and reducing carbon emissions. However, U.S. President Donald Trump, joined by Saudi Arabia, Russia, and several other nations, opposed the proposal, denouncing it as an unfair global tax.

On Thursday, President Trump urged countries via his social media platform, Truth Social, to reject the measure, calling it “a global green new scam tax on shipping.” His appeal appeared to sway several delegations, leading to a stalemate that prevented the adoption of the long-debated “Net-Zero Framework.”

Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the IMO, expressed frustration with the breakdown in talks, urging members to restore cooperation and warning that “the way negotiations have happened this week should not be repeated.”

Had it been approved, the regulatory framework would have introduced the first global levy on greenhouse gas emissions, requiring shipping companies to pay for every tonne of carbon dioxide emitted above specified limits. The framework also sought to establish a marine fuel standard designed to gradually reduce the sector’s carbon footprint.

The shipping industry currently accounts for around 3% of global carbon emissions, driven by reliance on heavy fuel oil for international cargo transport. The IMO has set a long-term target for the sector to achieve net-zero emissions by around 2050.

Source: AP



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