MEPC 83 Drives Next Phase of Shipping’s Decarbonisation

The 83rd meeting of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83) took place from 7-11 April 2025. Views on the success of the meeting may be mixed, but shipping stakeholders can agree that there is much work ahead for the maritime industry in both the short and the long term.  

Delegates agreed to a two-tier credit trading plan and a global fuel intensity (GFI) framework. Known as the IMO Net-Zero Framework, the regulation seeks to reduce carbon intensity from global shipping by 65% by 2040. With MEPC once again pushing forward maritime decarbonisation, shipping will need to keep pace with these ambitions. 

Ships exceeding CO2 targets will begin paying from 2028 in a scheme expected to raise $11bn to $13bn annually. The fund will facilitate innovation and decarbonisation with an expected compliance deficit between US$100-380 per tonne of CO2eq on a well-to-wake basis.

That said, real emissions reductions can be delivered today. As regulation becomes more complex, Silverstream is helping ship owners cut through uncertainty and act now with proven technologies that deliver results.  

Our Silverstream® System cuts frictional resistance between the water and the hull surface of a ship, reducing net fuel consumption and associated emissions by an average of 5-10%. Over the total lifetime of all contracted vessels, Silverstream estimates that its air lubrication technology will save its current customer base $5 billion in fuel costs and prevent the emission of over 20 million tonnes of CO2.

Additionally, this CO2 reduction is projected to save approximately $2 billion through existing carbon tax systems.
Navigating the evolving requirements of the IMO’s CII, EEDI, EEXI and the EU ETS has already demonstrated that scalable energy efficiency technologies are central to the shipping industry’s decarbonisation transition. The critical role that clean technology has played so far will only grow under the new IMO Net-zero Framework. 

Get in touch to learn how we can support your compliance strategy and help reduce emissions today – and come and meet us at Nor-Shipping this summer: https://www.silverstream-tech.com/contact/