Wärtsilä has warned that the postponement of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Net-Zero Framework opens the door to a patchwork of regional carbon-pricing systems, placing shipowners at the centre of an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.
The decision not to adopt the framework this October — reportedly due to opposition from the United States — has raised the prospect that individual jurisdictions will advance their own emissions schemes rather than following a single global standard. Wärtsilä’s leadership noted that this shift could affect fleet deployment strategies, fuel-choice decisions and overall investment in shipping technology.
The European Union has already launched its own maritime emissions-trading scheme, and indications from China suggest it intends to roll out a parallel programme. As a result, shipping firms may have to navigate overlapping compliance regimes, with implications for chartering, flag choice and vessel specification.
Despite regulatory uncertainty, Wärtsilä reports that demand remains strong for vessels capable of operating on alternative fuels or with hybrid propulsion systems — roughly 48 % of its contracted capacity in 2025 is for future-fuel-ready ships.
Until a global consensus is restored, industry players face growing pressure to manage compliance risk, fuel flexibility and investment timing — all while preparing for an evolving climate-regulation environment.
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Source: S&P Global
