Greece and Saudi Arabia have moved to formalise a joint front at the International Maritime Organization, agreeing to coordinate a shared proposal on the disputed “Net Zero Framework” for cutting greenhouse-gas emissions from shipping, according to a statement by Greece’s Ministry of Environment and Energy.
The understanding was reached during talks in Riyadh on 15 January 2026 between Greece’s minister for environment and energy, Stavros Papastavrou, and Saudi energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, with both sides committing their shipping and energy ministries to prepare a joint submission ahead of the revised deadline for adoption.
The statement underlined ongoing coordination among Greece, the United States and Saudi Arabia within the IMO, pointing to a common position on the shape of the Net Zero Framework as negotiations enter a decisive phase.
The framework remains one of the most contested items on the IMO agenda after discussions were suspended for a year following an extraordinary meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee in October 2025. Formal talks are due to resume in 2026.
The package under negotiation combines two central pillars: a global marine fuel standard and a global greenhouse-gas emissions pricing mechanism.
Greece’s decision to align closely with Saudi Arabia has sharpened attention within the European Union, where maintaining a unified approach in global maritime climate negotiations has been repeatedly stressed.
An EU spokesperson reiterated that the objective remains to place international shipping on a net-zero emissions trajectory towards 2050 and emphasised the need for EU member states to remain aligned in their IMO engagement.
The International Maritime Organization is a specialised agency of the United Nations mandated to regulate international shipping. It develops global rules covering ship safety, security and environmental performance, and serves as the primary forum where governments negotiate binding standards affecting the commercial shipping industry worldwide.