The United States is threatening to take action against nations that agree to a global carbon tax on ocean shipping.
Member states of the International Maritime Organization are meeting in London this week to discuss an agreement on decarbonization of seagoing vessels by 2050.
The IMO has proposed a per-ship penalty of as much as $150 per ton of particulate emissions. Supporters say this is the most effective means to narrow the cost gap between diesel and alternative fuels such as methanol, ammonia and liquefied natural gas. Opponents claim those charges could double fuel prices for container ships and raise costs for the United States, the world’s largest market for containerized imports.
Washington in a statement to IMO members called the carbon tax an economic burden that would drive global inflation, and called for a halt to negotiations by the United Nations agency. The statement threatened reciprocal measures against nations that agree to the tax but did not offer further details.
The U.S., which is not attending the meeting, had been a longtime proponent of the decarbonization plan, most recently under the Biden administration.
At the same time, the IMO was reportedly losing support for its proposal amid efforts by China and Middle East nations that favor a cap-and-trade system of credits over a carbon tax.
The U.S. statement was first reported by Lloyd’s List.
Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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