IMO'S NET-ZERO FRAMEWORK Industry at sea over carbon-levy decision

The latest decision by the United Nations (UN) maritime watchdog International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has left the international shipping industry in uncertainty.

- DHRUVAKSH SAHA

This comes as global efforts towards maritime decarbonisation were coalescing in preparation for the proposed carbon levy — a vote on this has now been deferred till 2026.

“The IMO has agreed to adjourn the extraordinary session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), which was convened this week to consider the adoption of draft amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, including the IMO Net-Zero Framework,” the agency said late on Friday night.

According to sources, India voted in favour of the motion to delay the extraordinary session that will decide the fate of the net-zero framework.

India had supported the motion in April when the IMO had adopted the framework principally.

Sources said many member nations voted for the delay not because there was an opposition to the framework itself, but because the divide and recent developments had posed the concern that the whole framework might completely be off the table if it were put to vote on Friday.