- IMO delay: Member States of the IMO have voted to postpone for one year the adoption of MARPOL Annex VI amendments that would have created the world’s first truly global carbon-pricing mechanism for shipping.
- Industry impact: The delay extends uncertainty for shipowners and investors but highlights accelerating regional regulation in Europe, Asia and North America.
- NatPower Marine response: CEO Stefano D.M. Sommadossi says decarbonisation cannot wait for new regulation, with shore power and near-shore electrification already delivering measurable emissions cuts.
- Investment programme: NatPower Marine plans to invest £3 billion to develop 120 clean-port locations worldwide by 2030, forming a global network of Green Shipping Corridors.
- Broader message: NatPower Marine calls for a new, comprehensive definition of “Green Corridor” that includes shore power, propulsion charging, renewable generation and grid integration.
Member States of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have voted to delay for one year the adoption of draft amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, which would have created the world’s first truly global carbon-pricing mechanism for shipping. The decision, taken at the second extraordinary session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC/ES.2) held in London from 14–17 October 2025, marks a setback for international decarbonisation efforts, in favour of a status quo that benefit oil and gas producers but not shipowners, investors and ports already under pressure to meet tightening emissions targets.
The postponement leaves the sector without a formal global market framework just as regional regulation is gathering pace, from Europe’s maritime carbon pricing to new clean-port standards in Asia and North America. NatPower Marine said the outcome underlines the growing gap between political negotiation and industry action, as ports and shipping lines continue to invest in clean-energy infrastructure despite the lack of a global mechanism.
Stefano D.M. Sommadossi, CEO of NatPower Marine and NatPower UK, said: “While the IMO’s postponement is disappointing, it cannot be a pause button for the industry. Shore power and near-shore electrification are proven, scalable and capable of delivering deep emissions cuts today. Every corridor we electrify removes thousands of tonnes of CO2, NOx and SOx from the system while improving air quality for coastal communities. The opportunity to lead is now, not in a year’s time.”
He continued: “No sector has got regulation before innovation, it has always been the other way round. Airplanes, cars, radio, Internet, AI were invented and adopted before regulation, and regulation followed the path set by innovators.
It is clear that the larger players and most innovative shipping operators and owners have already decided to go green because it is a strategic advantage and a cost cutting option in the years to come. So innovators and initiators will progress during this regulatory postponement. We at NatPower are accelerating our plan to deliver near shore electric propulsion and cold ironing in 120 locations globally."
The potential losers of this postponement are the emerging countries that were relying on IMO global carbon pricing to finance investments. The good news is that those investments can be made with private capital, provided that their locations are included in the green corridors and routes of the initiators.
New electric fuel for ships is already benefitting from the sheer convenience and it is a low hanging fruit for decarbonisation, and it is happening right now. Without waiting to choose among different alternative cleaner molecules (e-methanol, ammonia and hydrogen), the immediate opportunity is near shore electric propulsions and cold ironing.
The existing regulations in EU and China, and their ambitions to become the powerhouses of Energy Transition, are more than sufficient to trigger adoption and change.
Across Europe, Asia and the Americas, a wave of electrification projects, from single-port upgrades to full Green Corridors, is building a global network of clean maritime routes. It shows what genuine international cooperation can achieve when backed by real infrastructure and investment.
Green Shipping Corridors: the model for immediate progress
Through its investment in true Green Shipping Corridors, NatPower Marine is connecting high-traffic maritime routes with clean electricity for propulsion and cold ironing, replacing fossil-fuel use both in port and on near-shore legs. The company is planning to invest more than £3 billion to deliver 120 clean-port locations by 2030, creating an integrated global network of zero-emission maritime energy hubs.
For example, the corridor between Heysham Port and Northern Ireland, developed in partnership with Peel Ports Group, has started construction. It will eliminate more than 10,000 tonnes of CO2 annually from Irish Sea routes and forms part of a wider £250 million UK rollout of shore-power and e-ship-charging infrastructure.
Stefano D.M. Sommadossi, CEO of NatPower UK and NatPower Marine
Sommadossi said: “The IMO’s delay underlines the challenge of reaching consensus at a global level. But while negotiations stall, regional regulation is accelerating, and the landscape is becoming more fragmented. The EU Emissions Trading System now prices maritime emissions, and FuelEU Maritime sets carbon-intensity limits for vessels trading in Europe. The UK is preparing to bring shipping into its own ETS, Singapore is expanding its network of green corridors, and California is already enforcing at-berth emission rules. The message is clear: decarbonisation is no longer waiting for a single global mechanism, it is happening route by route, region by region.”
This patchwork of regional measures is driving urgency for practical, scalable solutions that can operate across multiple regulatory systems. As global policy tightens, the infrastructure to deliver compliance and emissions reduction is struggling to keep pace, creating both challenge and opportunity for the industry.
That urgency is echoed in new research showing the accelerating pace of green-shipping regulation and innovation worldwide.
According to the World Maritime University (WMU) and the Shanghai International Shipping Institute (SISI) in their Global Green Shipping Development Report (2024–2025), regulatory pressure on ports and shipping is now accelerating across all major economies.
The WMU/SISI report also confirms that ports are increasingly being recognised as the key enablers of maritime decarbonisation, with shore power expected to become a mandatory standard in many jurisdictions. The study highlights that “ships in ports will use more shore power or zero-carbon energy in the future” as emission requirements tighten, a view strongly echoed by NatPower Marine.
“This global trend validates our approach,” said Sommadossi. “Shore power and e-charging infrastructure are not optional extras; they are the foundation for clean shipping. Every port that plugs, in our standardised network, becomes part of the global energy transition.”
Energy integration: powering the maritime transition
To ensure clean electricity is available where and when vessels need it, NatPower Marine is supported by 20 GW of renewable generation and over 100 GWh of battery-storage capacity developed by its parent, NatPower Group. Located in strategic coastal regions, these assets deliver stable, low-cost renewable power through private-wire connections and smart Power Purchase Agreements, supporting vessel charging and port operations without burdening national grids.
This integrated approach forms what Sommadossi describes as “the backbone of a clean-shipping network,” linking renewable generation directly to maritime demand and enabling real decarbonisation today. NatPower Marine believes the IMO’s delay could, paradoxically, open space for innovation and collaboration. While waiting for a global mechanism, countries, ports and fleets can lead the way and show what success looks like by developing their own clean-energy routes, projects that cut emissions while creating industrial and economic growth.
Redefining the Green Corridor
Sommadossi said the events of the past week should also trigger a broader rethink of what constitutes a truly green shipping corridor.
“So far, most green corridors have been defined around alternative fuels and fuel-supply routes,” he said. “But that only addresses part of the challenge. A true green corridor must include the full chain of clean-energy infrastructure, from shore power and propulsion charging to renewable generation and grid integration. That is the only way to deliver zero-emission voyages from berth to berth, at an affordable cost.”
He added that NatPower Marine’s approach, combining e-ship charging, port-grid integration and large-scale battery storage, offers a practical blueprint for this next generation of corridors.
“If the past week has shown anything,” he concluded, “it is that we cannot wait for definitions and policy to catch up with reality. The future of green shipping will be built, not negotiated.”
