Nearly 200 Shipping Companies Back First Global Fee on Shipping Emissions as U.S. Opposes

Nearly 200 shipping companies urged member states of the International Maritime Organization to adopt regulations that would impose the first-ever global fee on greenhouse gas emissions from ships, pressing for action at the IMO meeting in London from Oct. 14 to 17.

The Getting to Zero Coalition, an alliance of companies, governments and intergovernmental organizations managed by the Global Maritime Forum, said the package of measures would provide the regulatory certainty needed for carriers to invest in cleaner fuels and technologies. "Given the significance of the political decision being made, we think it is important that industry voices in favor of this adoption be heard," said Jesse Fahnestock, who leads decarbonization work at the Global Maritime Forum.

The proposed regulatory framework, agreed in outline by IMO member states in April, would impose a minimum fee for each ton of greenhouse gases emitted by ships above certain thresholds and establish a marine fuel standard to phase in cleaner fuels. If adopted, the rules would become mandatory in 2027 for large oceangoing ships over 5,000 gross tonnage, which the IMO says account for roughly 85% of international shipping emissions.

The push comes amid strong opposition from the Trump administration, which has characterized the plan as effectively a global carbon tax imposed by an unaccountable U.N. organization and has warned it could retaliate if other nations support the measure. In a joint statement last month, the U.S. secretaries of State, Commerce, Energy and Transportation said ships would face fees for failing to meet what the administration called "unattainable fuel standards and emissions targets," and argued the standards would benefit China, a leader in developing cleaner marine fuels.

Despite the U.S. government stance, many U.S.-based and international shipping companies have voiced support for a single global system. Kathy Metcalf, president emeritus of the Chamber of Shipping of America, said the chamber favors one global framework to avoid multiple regional systems that could lead to double charging vessels depending on their routes.

Shipping's share of global greenhouse gas emissions has risen over the last decade, reaching about 3% of the global total as ships have grown larger and carry more cargo per voyage. The IMO has set a target for the sector to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by about 2050 and has said it will ensure fuels with zero or near-zero emissions are used more widely.

Industry groups including the International Chamber of Shipping, representing more than 80% of the world’s merchant fleet, have urged member states to adopt the April agreement in full. Proponents say adopting the fee and fuel standard will unlock investment in alternative fuels and the new ships and retrofits needed to use them, providing a predictable carbon price signal across the industry.

Environmental and ocean advocacy groups also pressed for adoption, though some said the April text lacked ambition. Faig Abbasov of Transport and Environment, a Brussels-based NGO, said while the agreement could be strengthened, it represents an opportunity to launch a credible decarbonization pathway for the sector. Delaine McCullough, president of the Clean Shipping Coalition and shipping program director at Ocean Conservancy, warned that failure to agree in London would further delay decarbonization and make it unlikely the sector would play a fair part in efforts to limit dangerous global heating.

The IMO typically seeks consensus in decision-making. In the April discussions, consensus was not possible and members had to resort to a vote, with the United States notably absent. Delegates will again face a decision in London on whether to make the regulatory package legally binding beginning in 2027.

How member states respond could determine whether the international shipping sector begins a coordinated transition to cleaner fuels and technologies or continues to rely on a patchwork of regional measures. Supporters say a single global approach would reduce market distortion and provide the clarity shipping companies need to accelerate investment. Opponents, including the U.S. administration, argue the proposal would impose undue costs and benefit specific national industries.

The outcome of the IMO meeting will be closely watched by shipping firms, fuel producers and climate advocates because international shipping remains a hard-to-abate source of emissions. With global trade reliant on oceangoing vessels, regulators and industry leaders are weighing how quickly and uniformly the sector can shift away from fossil fuels while maintaining supply chains.

The Getting to Zero Coalition said it would continue to press member states to adopt the package in London, while industry representatives said an agreed global framework would help avoid the complexity and competitive distortion of multiple regional rules. AP writer Sibi Arasu contributed to this report.