The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has expressed serious concern over the International Maritime Organisation’s decision to postpone adoption of the Net-Zero Framework (NZF) by one year. The delay, agreed at the MEPC meeting in London, risks slowing global climate ambition and the pace of maritime decarbonisation.
The NZF was intended to set a global regulatory framework for shipping emissions, including a fuel standard and carbon pricing mechanism. ESPO called the postponement a missed opportunity, warning it could prolong regulatory fragmentation and undermine the momentum for a unified global approach.
ESPO urges the European Commission to maintain progress through tax incentives for clean fuels, subsidies, and ETS revenues directed towards onshore power supply and clean fuel infrastructure.
“The postponement should not lead to a cancellation of ambition,” ESPO stated, calling on governments, industry, and civil society to stay engaged in developing a credible and ambitious global framework for shipping’s energy transition.
