IMCA attended the 22nd session of the IMO's Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 22), held in London from 1 – 4 September 2026, with Nikos Vasileiadis (GHG and Marine Renewables) representing the Association among more than 1,000 registered delegates.
The session focused on resolving outstanding concerns with the draft MARPOL Annex VI Net-Zero Framework, ahead of its potential adoption at MEPC 85. While no full consensus was reached, the Group made meaningful progress, reconfirming the core GHG Fuel Intensity architecture, converging around a "softer start" to the emissions-reduction trajectory, paired with a retained long-term target and periodic fuel-availability reviews, and advancing practical compliance tools.
The most significant points of divergence – the design and legal nature of the IMO Net-Zero Fund and the stringency of the long-term target for 2040, remain political rather than technical, and were carried forward for further intersessional work. The Chair expressed confidence that a revised draft text will be presented to MEPC 85 scheduled to run from 30 November to 3 December, while the associated implementation guidelines and the Life Cycle Assessment framework were deferred to ISWG-GHG 23, due to take place from 23 to 27 November.
IMCA will continue to monitor developments closely and engage on behalf of the offshore marine contracting sector.
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