Intercargo: IMO Needs to Find 'Realistic, Practical and Globally Workable' GHG Plan

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Tuesday October 21, 2025

Dry bulk industry body Intercargo has reaffirmed its support for the IMO as the appropriate forum for tackling shipping's energy transition after last week's unexpected delay to implementing the net-zero framework.

An extraordinary session of the IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) unexpectedly voted to push back its NZF plans by a year on Friday after significant opposition to its adoption emerged, led by the US.

The deal would have set progressively tougher carbon intensity requirements for marine fuels for the years 2028-2035 and beyond.

The IMO now needs to engage with industry to find a way through, Intercargo said in an emailed statement on Monday.

"INTERCARGO reaffirms its support to the IMO as the sole global regulator capable of delivering coherent and effective measures for international shipping," Kostas Gkonis, secretary general of Intercargo, said in the statement.

"We wish to see the current postponement as an opportunity for further dialogue.

"The time ahead should be used constructively and effectively to bridge differing positions among IMO Member States and to also ensure that the industry's voice and input are heard and taken onboard.

"We invite Member States at IMO to work more closely among them but also in partnership with the shipping community towards agreeing on a regulatory framework that is realistic, practical, and globally workable."

Ship & Bunker News Team
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