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Classification society urges practical path on IMO measures
American Bureau of Shipping,The shipping industry supports decarbonization, but ABS says regulation must keep pace with the real world of fuel supply, vessel operations, and commercial trading patterns.
Different trades face different pressure
ABS has called for a more flexible global framework, warning that proposed IMO midterm measures could move faster than fuel supply chains can support.
A container ship on a fixed liner route can plan bunkering months ahead. A bulk carrier or tanker trading spot cargoes cannot. For tramp shipping, the transition can look like planning a road trip around fuel stations that have not yet been built.
Fuel options remain uneven
LNG remains the most mature alternative fuel, supported by existing bunkering networks. ABS also sees bio LNG and e LNG as part of a longer term pathway.
Methanol is gaining traction, but green methanol supply at scale remains uncertain before 2030. Ethanol is emerging as a complementary option. Ammonia may suit deep sea shipping later, but infrastructure and readiness limits are expected to slow near term use.
Efficiency offers immediate cuts
ABS expects conventional fuels, including biofuel blends, to dominate through 2030.
The society says energy efficiency remains the most practical near term tool, including slow steaming, voyage optimization, air lubrication, wind assisted propulsion, artificial intelligence, digital twins, and better data use.
ABS also proposed carbon credits for verified efficiency gains within the IMO fuel intensity framework, giving operators more flexibility while zero and near zero carbon fuels remain limited.
MEPC 84 exposes divisions
The IMO approved draft legal text for its Net Zero Framework at MEPC 83 in April 2025. But MEPC 84 in London from April 27 to May 1, 2026 showed divisions remain over how fast shipping should be pushed toward new fuels.
