IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 84) Concluded in London

Published 05-05-2026

The 84th meeting of the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) was held from 27 April to 1 May 2026.

During the meeting, a number of key environmental and climate issues were discussed, including management of ships’ ballast water, energy efficiency of ships, regulation of air pollution, and the future of IMO’s climate regulation “the Net Zero Framework,” among others.

Key Decisions

The following decisions were made, among others:

  • The proposal to designate the Northeast Atlantic as a new Emissions Control Area (ECA) to reduce air pollution from ships was approved.
  • The IMO Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR) has been tasked with preparing draft binding regulation to address the carriage of plastic pellets (a code), as well as related amendments to MARPOL and SOLAS. 
  • A new working group meeting will be held in September 2026 to further develop remaining guidelines for the Net Zero Framework, address continued concerns, and discuss alternative regulatory proposals for greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping. Thus, two working group meetings are scheduled ahead of the MEPC 85 in November.
  • The second extraordinary session of MEPC, adjourned in October 2025, is scheduled to resume immediately following MEPC 85 and is expected to take place on 4 December 2026.
  • A fifth GHG study was initiated to update knowledge on emissions from shipping and provide a basis for future decision-making. The previous studies can be accessed on the IMO website: https://www.imo.org/en/ourwork/environment/pages/imo-ghg-studies.aspx
  • Approvall of changes to the 2024 Guidelines for the development of a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (2024 SEEMP Guidelines) and the 2022 Guidelines on operational carbon intensity indicators and the calculation methods (CII Guidelines, G1).
  • Approval of new guidelines for the marine engine test:
    - 2026 Guidelines for test-bed and onboard measurements of methane (CH4) and/or nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from marine diesel engines.
    - Guidelines for engine load monitoring (ELM) and calculation of emission values.
    - Guidelines for continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS).

Link to IMO news: IMO progresses work on ship emissions, pollution and ocean protection

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