IMO Delays Net-Zero Framework: CEO’s Comment

IMO Delays NZF: CEO’s Comment

The IMO’s decision at last week’s extraordinary MEPC session to delay adoption of the Net-Zero Framework by a year was a setback for the maritime sector. Let’s call it for what it is. But it isn’t the end, it’s a reminder that real progress demands persistence and proof.

Technology shifts are never easy. This is not business as usual. Rejection is part of progress and if used right, it becomes the creative friction that shapes the “perfectly good enough” solutions that ultimately drive real change.

Even though I was hoping for the NZF to pass, I can understand why it was difficult. Normally, I love ambitious targets, but this was perhaps too much, too soon. Technology shifts need to be bold enough to make an impact and inspire to greatness, yet inclusive enough to bring people along. What matters now is finding a path that keeps ambition intact while making it more attractive to say yes than no.

We now have a year until the next MEPC to show those who hesitate, or who simply need to believe a little more before they commit, that it is worth doing. This is our window to demonstrate, through tangible projects and operating references, that zero-emission technology is practical, competitive, and reliable in real operation.

Across regions we already see shipowners, fleet operators, and investors taking decisive steps to reduce emissions and hazardous particles because it strengthens performance, resilience, and energy independence. Every deployed vessel adds confidence and makes the next decision easier. Momentum builds through success.

The path forward will be shaped by those who act, the pioneers who combine industrial reliability with the courage to lead, step by step, project by project.

Their progress defines the future.