The Chair of the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), Laura DiBella, has made strategic interventions at the 84th session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), seeking alternatives to the Net Zero Framework (NZF) – a bill widely seen as imposing a “global carbon tax” on shipping.
FMC Chair Laura DiBella joined the U.S. delegation at the 84th session of the MEPC of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), significantly strengthening the FMC’s involvement in efforts to resolve the impasse related to the IMO’s proposed Net Zero Framework (NZF).
Throughout the meeting, Ms. DiBella emphasized the need for careful assessment of the potential economic impacts that NZF could have on global shipping and American consumers. She stated that the US objective was to promote substantive dialogue and seek viable alternatives to foster broader consensus among member states.
During the week-long MEPC 84 working session, the US delegation, led by Chair DiBella, held bilateral meetings with over 20 delegations. Through these exchanges, the US urged member states to comprehensively consider alternative proposals submitted by several countries. The US assessed that these alternatives could contribute to the stability of the international shipping industry while limiting the risk of increased costs for consumers.
The NZF framework is currently being promoted by the European Union as a mechanism for the globalization of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). However, from the US perspective, if implemented as it currently stands, this mechanism could place additional carbon costs on American consumers for goods transported via international shipping routes.
At the IMO negotiations in October 2025, a group of countries representing more than half of the global commercial shipping fleet expressed caution regarding the practical applicability of NZF. Under the scenario under discussion, ships that do not meet the framework’s stringent fuel standards – representing approximately 97% of the world’s fleet – could incur additional costs. Analysts believe that a large portion of these costs will ultimately likely be passed on to the supply chain and end consumers.
Following a series of bilateral contacts, Ms. DiBella stated that the negotiating landscape at MEPC 84 has clearly shifted. According to her assessment, while NZF supporters believe the consultation process fully reflected the views of its members, the reality is that many opinions remain unexpressed. She emphasized that at this meeting, the “silent majority” within the IMO began to speak more clearly.
Going forward, the United States stated it will continue to consider appropriate measures to protect the interests of domestic consumers against the potential emergence of a controversial global carbon tax mechanism.
Chairperson DiBella also affirmed that the FMC will continue to focus on fully exercising its statutory powers. This includes the Commission’s authority to monitor flag states if their regulations create unfavorable shipping conditions for U.S. foreign trade.
