Photo: BNMK 0819\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n
FMC Chair Joins U.S. Opposition to IMO Carbon Plan With Warning<\/p>\n
The chair of the\u00a0Federal Maritime Commission\u00a0has joined the U.S. delegation to<\/p>\n
high-stakes climate talks<\/p>\n
at the\u00a0UN\u2019s International Maritime Organization, accompanied by an explicit warning that could signal a more confrontational U.S. posture toward the proposed global shipping carbon pricing regime.<\/p>\n
In a statement Monday, FMC Chairman Laura DiBella said she joined the U.S. delegation to the IMO\u2019s 84th Marine Environment Protection Committee session in London to reinforce U.S. opposition to the proposed Net-Zero Framework, describing the plan as \u201can unnecessary tax on U.S. shippers and vessels operating in international waters.\u201d<\/p>\n
The statement explicitly cited FMC authority under 46 U.S.C. \u00a7\u00a7 42106 and 42107 concerning \u201cunfavorable shipping conditions,\u201d noting the Commission can take remedial steps, including fines and, in some cases, barring foreign-flag vessels from calling at U.S. ports.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe FMC is invested in the protection of U.S. cargo and closely monitors regulations or practices of foreign governments that could result in conditions unfavorable to shipping in the foreign trade of the United States,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
The FMC has not historically played a visible role in U.S. climate negotiations at the IMO, which are typically led by the U.S. Coast Guard and State Department with support from agencies including the Maritime Administration and Environmental Protection Agency.<\/p>\n
DiBella\u2019s participation and the FMC\u2019s statement suggests the Trump administration may be broadening its opposition to the Net-Zero Framework.<\/p>\n
The proposed framework,<\/p>\n
in a bitter showdown at an extraordinary MEPC session last October, would establish greenhouse gas intensity requirements for ships and impose fees on non-compliant vessels while channeling billions toward shipping\u2019s energy transition.<\/p>\n
Supporters have argued the system is necessary to narrow the cost gap between fossil fuels and low- and zero-emission fuels while avoiding fragmented regional regulation.<\/p>\n
The United States has taken the opposite view. The Trump administration helped lead opposition to the framework last year, contributing to a 57-49 vote to postpone adoption after what many delegates described as an unusually contentious political battle.<\/p>\n
DiBella\u2019s statement signals that opposition remains firm. The FMC chair has argued the proposal would have \u201canticompetitive and inflationary\u201d effects on the global economy and warned costs would ultimately be passed to U.S. consumers.<\/p>\n
The intervention comes just days after major shipping groups including\u00a0BIMCO,\u00a0International Chamber of Shipping\u00a0and the\u00a0World Shipping Council<\/p>\n
behind the IMO and urged governments to preserve a global emissions framework rather than allow a patchwork of regional rules to emerge.<\/p>\n
While the Commission statement references authorities tied to unfavorable foreign shipping conditions, it does not specify whether or how those authorities might be applied in connection with an eventual IMO agreement.<\/p>\n
MEPC 84 is expected to establish a greenhouse gas working group and continue negotiations under Agenda Item 7 on mid-term emissions measures, while also advancing a broader environmental agenda including air pollution controls, ballast water and underwater radiated noise.<\/p>\n
Her presence at the talks carries added weight given her rapid rise at the Commission. President Trump designated her chairman in January just weeks after she was sworn in as an FMC commissioner, underscoring her role in the administration\u2019s broader \u201cRestoring America\u2019s Maritime Dominance\u201d agenda.<\/p>\n
But negotiations over the delayed Net-Zero Framework remain the defining issue hanging over the meeting, even though a final adoption vote is not expected until a reconvened extraordinary MEPC session later this year.<\/p>\n