International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: TH
Context: At the International Maritime Organization (IMO) meeting in London, 57 nations voted to delay the adoption of a framework for carbon-free global shipping by one year after U.S. opposition.
About International Maritime Organization (IMO):
What it is?
• The IMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating international shipping safety, security, and environmental performance, ensuring uniform global maritime standards.
Established in: Created by a UN convention in 1948, the IMO came into force in 1958 and held its first meeting in 1959, marking the start of global cooperation on maritime governance.
Headquarters: The organization is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.
Aim: Its primary aim is to promote safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally responsible shipping and to ensure that no country gains an unfair economic advantage by neglecting safety or environmental standards.
Functions:
• Formulates and updates global maritime conventions such as SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) and MARPOL (Prevention of Pollution from Ships).
• Regulates ship design, construction, operation, and disposal for safety and pollution control.
• Develops rules to prevent marine and air pollution caused by ships.
• Oversees seafarer training, certification, and management standards.
• Supports UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG-14 (Life Below Water), by promoting sustainable maritime transport.
About Framework for Carbon-Free Shipping:
What it is?
• The carbon-free shipping framework is a strategic plan under the IMO’s 2023 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Strategy aimed at transitioning global maritime transport toward net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Aim: To introduce a global fuel standard and carbon pricing mechanism for ships, reducing carbon intensity by at least 40% by 2030 and achieving full decarbonisation of the shipping sector by mid-century.
Features:
• Establishes a new fuel standard mandating gradual replacement of fossil fuels with low- and zero-emission alternatives such as green hydrogen and ammonia.
• Introduces a global carbon-pricing mechanism to incentivize cleaner technologies and penalize heavy emitters.
• Implements measures from 2027 onwards, aligning with the Paris Agreement targets.
• Encourages technological innovation and R&D in maritime fuel efficiency.
• Promotes equity in implementation, allowing developing nations access to finance and green technologies for compliance.