Greenhouse gas emissions reduction

The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping remains one of the central regulatory and operational challenges for the tanker industry.

At global level, the International Maritime Organization adopted the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, which sets the ambition to reach net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping by or around, i.e. close to 2050.

Existing short-term IMO requirements include the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships, Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) for existing ships and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), rating ships based on their annual operational carbon intensity.

As mid-term measure, MEPC 83 approved the draft IMO Net-Zero Framework. The framework includes two main elements: a global marine fuel standard and a global GHG emissions pricing mechanism. Discussions on adoption were adjourned in October 2025 and resumed through the IMO process in 2026.

INTERTANKO supports the development of a practical, effective, and globally applicable regulatory framework for the reduction of GHG emissions from ships, accommodating all transitional pathways while upholding the 'Pollutor Pays' principle. Our work ensures that tanker industry realities are properly reflected in the development and implementation of regulations, including safety, technical feasibility, fuel availability, lifecycle GHG accounting, data quality, operational profiles and the need for a level playing field.

INTERTANKO continues to provide Members with guidance, technical analysis, and regulatory updates on IMO and regional GHG measures, including EEXI, CII, EU Monitoring Reporting Verification, EU Emissions Trading Scheme, FuelEU Maritime, lifecycle GHG assessment, sustainable fuel certification and the draft IMO Decarbonisation Framework. INTERTANKO supports Members through its GHG Benchmarking Tool, enabling anonymised industry benchmarking based on verified emissions data.