The United States has come out swinging against the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) plan to curb shipping emissions, dismissing the proposal as nothing more than a “global carbon tax on Americans” and vowing to block it ahead of a decisive October vote, Splash 247 reports.
In a joint statement, senior officials (including secretary of state Marco Rubio and commerce secretary Howard Lutnick) said President Donald Trump would reject “any international environmental agreement that unfairly burdens the United States or harms the American people.”
The contested framework, backed by most IMO members in April, would impose strict fuel standards and penalties on ships missing climate targets. Supporters say it’s essential to hit the IMO’s 2050 net-zero goals, but Washington argues it tilts the playing field toward China and penalises US-led fuels like LNG and biofuels.
“These standards would conveniently hand China a competitive edge, forcing the use of costly fuels that aren’t globally available,” the statement read, warning that even smaller vessels could face millions in extra fees – costs ultimately passed to American consumers. The administration hinted at “retaliation” if the rules pass, without specifying how.
At the April Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting, 63 states (including China, Brazil and EU nations) supported the plan, while 16 opposed. Ships that fail to cut greenhouse gas intensity, including CO₂, methane and nitrous oxide, would need to buy “remedial units” costing up to $380 per ton of CO₂-equivalent emissions between 2028 and 2030.
The October decision will require a two-thirds majority if no consensus is reached – a rare scenario at the IMO, but one that now seems likely as positions harden. Environmental groups have slammed the US stance, warning that further delays could derail the sector’s climate commitments.
Picture: Whitehouse.org
