- Three Uncontroversial MARPOL Annexe VI Amendments Expected at MEPC 84.
- BIMCO Highlights Need for Tacit Acceptance Procedure in Future NZF Adoption.
- IMO’s Decision Delay Does Not Set a Precedent, Says BIMCO.
BIMCO has outlined a roadmap for the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to proceed with the adoption of the pending MARPOL amendments and the Net-Zero Framework (NZF). They’ve highlighted the need to keep regulatory consistency and honour the IMO’s well-established decision-making traditions, reports Safety4Sea.
Adoption Delay and Next Steps
After the IMO Member States decided to postpone the adoption of the Net-Zero Framework for a year during the Marine Environment Protection Committee’s 2nd extraordinary session (MEPC/ES.2, which took place from October 14 to 17, 2025), BIMCO expects that a member state will ask the IMO Secretary-General to circulate the three MARPOL Annex VI amendments currently linked to the NZF for adoption at MEPC 84 in the spring of 2026. These amendments include:
- The Northeast Atlantic Emission Control Area (ECA)
- Multi-engine operation protocols under Regulation 13
- Changes to the Data Collection System (DCS) schedule
BIMCO pointed out that these proposals are “rather uncontroversial” and shouldn’t be left “hanging in a vacuum” until MEPC/ES.2 resumes next year.
Managing Legal and Procedural Adjustments
BIMCO also anticipates that MEPC 84 will tackle the continuation and adjustment of MEPC/ES.2, as the dates in the draft legal text will need to be updated due to the delay. If the three bundled amendments are approved at MEPC 84, they will need to be removed from the draft NZF text before the session resumes. Furthermore, the committee will need to evaluate which aspects of the NZF can be realistically adopted, especially considering the ongoing discussions about its economic component.
Importance of the Tacit Acceptance Procedure
BIMCO emphasised that any changes to the NZF must ensure that the tacit acceptance procedure is applied to its entry-into-force criteria once it’s adopted. The organisation noted that while it’s still unclear what specific changes will be necessary, the economic aspect is at the forefront of reconsideration.
Importantly, BIMCO pointed out that MEPC/ES.2 did not decide to replace the tacit acceptance procedure with an explicit one. The tacit procedure has been the IMO’s standard practice for over five decades when amending key conventions such as MARPOL and SOLAS.
Ensuring a Stable IMO Framework
The most important thing to take away from this first part of MEPC/ES.2 may be more subtle than explicit, BIMCO stated. “Not taking a decision does not set a precedent. A continued well-functioning IMO is of paramount importance to the global shipping industry.”
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Source: Safety4Sea
