Letter from London: Shipowners propose carbon levy
Trade association the ICS is trying to take the initiative and steer the industry’s decarbonisation on its own course
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS)—a trade association representing ship owners and operators and more than 80pc of the global merchant fleet—has made its own proposal for a levy on carbon emissions from ships in response to plans by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and European Commission. The ICS submitted its “comprehensive” plans to the IMO, which envision "an internationally accepted market-based measure to accelerate the uptake and deployment of zero-carbon fuels.” The group proposes a levy based on mandatory contributions for each ton of CO₂ emitted from “ships trading globally” and with a gross tonnage in excess of 5,000t. "[Our proposial is] an i
Also in this section
24 December 2025
As activity in the US Gulf has stagnated at a lower level, the government is taking steps to encourage fresh exploration and bolster field development work
23 December 2025
The new government has brought stability and security to the country, with the door now open to international investment
23 December 2025
A third wave of LNG supply is coming, and with it a likely oversupply of the fuel by 2028
22 December 2025
Weakening climate resolve in the developed world and rapidly growing demand in developing countries means peak oil is still a long way away






