The United States has formally called for the mandatory elimination of the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) as a prerequisite for any future international shipping emissions framework, according to Ship & Bunker. The position has been filed as document MEPC 84/7/41 ahead of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee 84th session, set to convene in London from April 27 to May 1.
Five Conditions Now on the Record
As reported by Ship & Bunker, Washington had previously circulated its stance through a private aide-memoire outlining five conditions for any alternative to the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework (NZF). That document, which the publication had sight of, listed the mandatory withdrawal of the EU ETS as condition four. All five conditions have now been formalised through the official MEPC submission.
The submission states directly that “Member States and regional organisations must commit to terminating their existing regional schemes to avoid a duplicative system of frameworks and agreements,” and adds that proposals “should not impose additional layers of carbon trading or pricing in the existence of aggressive EU schemes.”
No Carbon Pricing of Any Kind
Beyond the EU ETS demand, Ship & Bunker reports that the US submission goes further — calling for any replacement framework to be entirely free of economic measures. This includes an explicit rejection of carbon taxes, financial penalties, levies, and IMO-administered funds.
The submission also advocates for what it terms an “energy-all” approach, under which no restrictions would apply to conventional fuels, LNG, nuclear, or biomass-based energy sources. Additionally, it calls for future regulations to use the explicit acceptance procedure for entry into force — a mechanism requiring active approval from member states, rather than the tacit acceptance model where consent is assumed unless a state formally objects.
US Pushes Back Against NZF Revival
The submission comes at a pivotal moment in international shipping’s emissions debate. The NZF, which was approved in principle at MEPC 83 in April 2025, subsequently collapsed at the extraordinary session MEPC/ES.2 in October 2025, following what the US described as “severe divergence among Member States,” according to Ship & Bunker. That session was adjourned for one year, with MEPC/ES.2 currently scheduled to resume in November 2026.
The US is now actively seeking to prevent that resumption. The aide-memoire seen by Ship & Bunker quotes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning that if the NZF “or a substantially similar measure were to be brought back up at the IMO, our coalition will be ready to oppose, and it will be larger.” US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright was also cited in the same document as stating there is “zero chance that countries will reach net-zero by 2050.”
Gulf Bunkering does not provide operational or security guidance. This article is for informational purposes only. Operators should consult flag state authorities, P&I clubs, and relevant advisories for decisions relating to transit planning.
Sources: Ship & Bunker
