Climate campaign group Opportunity Green has urged IMO member states to adopt the Net-Zero Framework (NZF) in its original form, warning that proposed legal amendments would undermine its effectiveness, according to Ship & Bunker.
The NGO’s briefing to member states comes ahead of the ISWG-GHG 22 session in September, as governments prepare for another attempt to adopt the framework. The NZF was approved at MEPC 83 in April 2025 but failed to secure adoption at an extraordinary session last October amid opposition led by the United States, Ship & Bunker reports.
Liberia’s Alternative Proposal Under Fire
According to Ship & Bunker, Opportunity Green’s criticism is centered on a proposal from Liberia that would replace the NZF’s mandatory remedial payments with a greater reliance on a market-based surplus unit trading system. The NGO argues this shift would weaken incentives to invest in zero-emission fuels and reduce funding flowing into the framework’s Net-Zero Fund, which is designed to support developing countries through the energy transition.
Opportunity Green claims that without a predictable economic incentive, investment would continue to favor what it terms high-emitting fuels, including fossil-based LNG and biofuels, rather than the zero-emission alternatives targeted under the IMO’s 2023 GHG Strategy, Ship & Bunker notes.
Strong Language From NGO Officials
“The Net-Zero Framework is a landmark multilateral achievement after years of complex negotiations,” Sapphire Ross, policy officer at Opportunity Green, said in a statement reported by Ship & Bunker. Ross added that governments should protect the agreement and resist efforts to weaken its core economic elements.
Em Fenton, senior director at the NGO, was quoted by Ship & Bunker describing the NZF as “the only credible proposal on the table,” and characterizing any weakened alternative as “tantamount to abandoning climate vulnerable countries.”
Ship & Bunker notes that this characterization is unlikely to be shared by the framework’s critics. The US has formally called for any successor scheme to drop the carbon levy and the IMO fund entirely, while Liberia’s alternative has reportedly drawn support from other flag states favoring a more market-led approach.
Does This Matter to You?
The outcome of these negotiations could shape the long-term regulatory and cost landscape for vessel operators, fuel suppliers, and bunker traders. If the Net-Zero Framework proceeds with mandatory remedial payments intact, it may reinforce financial incentives tied to zero-emission fuel adoption, according to the source material. Conversely, a shift toward a market-based trading system, as proposed by Liberia, could alter how compliance costs and fuel investment decisions are structured going forward.
Parties monitoring IMO regulatory developments, including those involved in bunker fuel procurement and compliance planning, may wish to track how this debate progresses toward MEPC 85 later this year, as reported by Ship & Bunker.
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
