05 May 2026
Photo by Chuttersnap Global negotiations on binding greenhouse gas rules for shipping have been delayed again, after the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee concluded its 84th session in London on 1 May without reaching agreement on the IMO Net-Zero Framework. The talks, held at IMO headquarters from 27 April to 1 May, […]
21 Oct 2025
Photo by Andy Li Under intense pressure from Donald Trump’s government, countries have postponed plans to force shipowners to start paying for the damage they do to the climate. The International Maritime Organisation vote on 17th October marks a significant setback for international maritime climate regulation ahead of next month’s COP30 climate summit in […]
02 Jul 2024
A ban on the dirtiest and most climate-damaging fuel for ships has come into effect in Arctic waters. Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) is a tar-like, thick but relatively cheap oil that is widely used in shipping around the world, especially tankers, the BBC reported. However, HFO is particularly damaging in the Arctic, where the black […]
05 Mar 2024
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is intensifying efforts to safeguard the safe transportation of plastic pellets on ships, recognizing the potential environmental damage if released into the sea. During the meeting at IMO Headquarters from February 19 to 23, the Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 11) reached a consensus on draft recommendations for […]
06 Nov 2023
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is marking 50 years since the adoption of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), the primary global treaty for the prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from intentional, operational or accidental causes. The graphic above details one of the six […]
11 Oct 2022
Amendment to treaty on dumping of waste at sea will remove sewage sludge from list of wastes which may be given dumping permit. The amendment to the London Protocol will remove sewage sludge from the list of permissible wastes – wastes which may be considered for dumping at sea. Parties to the treaties […]
01 Dec 2020
Guardian ‘Governments have rejected calls for tougher regulation of international shipping, settling instead for new rules on reducing greenhouse gas emissions that campaigners say will imperil the Paris climate goals. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN body that regulates international shipping, agreed on Friday after a week-long online meeting to make an existing target […]
23 Jun 2020
Ballast water in ships is a principal way in which alien species are introduced into new aquatic habitats. Commercial trading ships are, therefore, required to treat their ballast water to meet discharge standards and regulation. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has approved a range of methods for ballast water treatment, such as filtration, ultraviolet radiation […]
