LONDON (April 14, 2025) — Countries agreed on a draft deal through the International Maritime Organization to place a price on the shipping industry’s emissions. The agreement, which is set to be formally adopted in October, requires ships to pay a fee based on the carbon intensity of their fuel mix and is intended to spur the transition to lower-emission fuels.

The High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, of which WRI is the Secretariat, has previously shared a set of priority actions for the shipping industry’s sustainable transition.

Following is a statement from Tom Pickerell, Global Director, Ocean Program, World Resources Institute:

“While the agreement is a step forward, it falls short of the ambition the climate crisis demands. The agreement will likely deliver only a fraction of the emissions cuts needed for the IMO’s own 2030 climate goals, doing too little to speed the shift to zero-emission ships.

“The lack of a universal carbon levy misses a major opportunity to fund green fuels and infrastructure, especially for vulnerable coastal countries.

“Shipping drives global trade and connects communities, but decarbonizing marine transport is critical to ensuring the long-term resilience of global supply chains and the ocean’s health.

“We urge governments and the shipping industry to build on this agreement and rapidly establish national targets for decarbonizing shipping, support the development of zero-emission fuels, modernize fleets, and transform port infrastructure.”