Seven shipping industry associations have issued a joint statement urging International Maritime Organization (IMO) member states to agree on a path forward for greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations ahead of a meeting this week.

BIMCO, CLIA, ICS, Intercargo, Interferry, Intertanko and WSC — representing the global commercial shipping fleet — released the statement on April 20, ahead of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 84) meeting.

The announcement follows the postponement in October 2025 of the adoption of new IMO GHG regulations.

The associations said they remain committed to the ambition established within the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, noting that the industry has invested and committed billions of dollars to trial and implement alternative fuels and technology.

The groups called for consistent global application of regulations while avoiding diverse or overlapping regional and national decarbonization schemes. They said such schemes could result in double or multiple penalties being imposed on ships for the same GHG emissions.

"Member states are therefore encouraged to consider all options to achieve a global agreement," the statement said.

The associations stressed that decision-making must be data-driven and fuel- and technology-neutral, taking into account the availability and safety of alternative fuels, with requirements focused solely on maritime decarbonization.

According to the announcement, measures adopted should ensure the viability of transitional fuels such as LNG, LPG and sustainable biofuel blends, as well as other alternative fuels including e-fuels, biomethanol, biomethane, sustainable bioethanol and ammonia. Technologies such as wind, battery storage, shore power, nuclear, and onboard carbon capture should also be recognized for their potential to provide immediate emission reductions, the groups said.

The seven industry organisations stated that IMO requirements should provide the regulatory certainty that the maritime industry needs and send signals to energy producers to accelerate production and supply.

They also emphasized the need for practicable enforcement of new rules to secure the intended reduction of GHG emissions and a level playing field across the industry, noting that decarbonization of the maritime sector is a multi-stakeholder endeavour which cannot be achieved by shipowners alone.

The shipping bodies added that they were committed to providing input to assist IMO member states in developing regulations to deliver the strategic vision of the organisation.

Work is already under way on related subjects such as fuel lifecycle assessment and certification schemes, which the associations said must deliver the technical foundation and clarity for consideration of adoption of any measure.