IMO headquarter in London. Image Credit: IMO

The US has called on the IMO to scrap its proposed Net-Zero Framework (NZF), warning it could harm the global shipping industry and wider economy.

The current NZF proposal would promote “expensive, unproven, and unavailable fuels” while undermining the reliability of existing fleets and global trade, the US said in a proposal to the IMO on March 16.

The submission comes ahead of the 84th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 84), scheduled to take place from April 27 to May 1.

Ending NZF Talks: Appropriate Path Forward

“The United States submits that the most appropriate path forward is to end consideration of the IMO Net-Zero Framework entirely and not resume MEPC/ES.2, currently adjourned until November 2026,” it said in the proposal.

In its proposal, the US also made clear its opposition to carbon pricing measures, stating that “there must be no financial penalty, carbon tax, levy, or multilateral fund” imposed on the shipping sector.

Instead, the US called for an “energy-all” approach that does not restrict any fuel type, adding that proposals should not limit “conventional crude or diesel, LNG, nuclear, biomass-based fuels, or any other type of marine propulsion technology.”

The latest move follows earlier US intervention at IMO talks last year, when the US-led group pushed to delay adoption of the framework for a year.

At that time, the US President Donald Trump administration threatened retaliatory measures against countries supporting the proposal.

US Backs Energy All Approach

The submission further argued that regulations should “avoid rigid mandates and economic burdens” and ensure the reliability of the existing fleet to prevent disruption to global trade.

Citing a lack of consensus among member states, the US said the IMO should not resume discussions on the NZF and instead pursue alternative approaches.

“Rather than pursuing a global GHG emissions scheme that would restrict energy types, the Organization should look to foster an environment of energy abundance and must avoid rigid mandates and economic burdens,” the proposal states.

Other Members Question Current NZF 

In a separate submission earlier this month, a group of countries including Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Russia, Somalia and the UAE also signalled the need for a different path, stressing that any framework should be “consensus-based and rooted in true multilateral deliberations” while avoiding “punitive measures.”

They added the current NZF, presented in October 2025, does not reflect the core concerns of many member states and therefore lacks the consensus needed for effective implementation.

The countries said the framework should avoid widening inequalities and ensure benefits are shared fairly.

It should also set realistic timelines based on the availability and cost of fuels and technologies.

"Timelines and trajectories must be realistic and pragmatic, taking into account the affordability, scalability and global availability of fuels and technologies," the countries said in the joint proposal.