Greek shipowner Melina Travlos has backed a Panama-Liberia proposal for shipping decarbonisation and warned that future IMO rules must reflect the availability and cost of alternative fuels ahead of talks in London from 1 to 4 September, according to the Union of Greek Shipowners.
Travlos, president of the UGS, said ambitious climate targets “need to remain realistic” and must reflect both technological capabilities and conditions in the global market.
She said negotiations had exposed significant weaknesses in the proposed IMO Net-Zero Framework, which “clearly is not the solution”, and argued that shipping must have a meaningful role in shaping measures it will ultimately have to implement.
Travlos said the approach proposed by Panama and Liberia provides a “balanced and pragmatic foundation” for further negotiations, although it still leaves room for improvement.
The proposal takes account of the affordability, availability and scalability of the fuels required for decarbonisation. Travlos said Japan’s proposal also recognises the importance of fuel availability and affordability in determining shipping’s transition.
UGS also backed the Panama-Liberia proposal’s focus on ship energy efficiency, saying efficiency will remain particularly important while suitable fuels are either unavailable or offered only at excessive prices.
Travlos called on IMO member states to seek a global solution capable of securing international consensus while combining environmental effectiveness, economic viability and social fairness.
The 1-4 September meeting is part of the IMO’s intersessional work on cutting greenhouse gas emissions from ships. Another working-group meeting is scheduled for 23-27 November, followed by MEPC 85 from 30 November to 3 December.
The adjourned extraordinary MEPC session could resume on 4 December, subject to confirmation.
The IMO Net-Zero Framework was approved in April 2025, but its planned formal adoption was deferred in October 2025 when the extraordinary MEPC session was adjourned for a year.
Established in 1916, the Union of Greek Shipowners is an industry association representing Greek-owned and Greece-managed vessels of more than 3,000 gt operating under Greek, other European and third-country flags.
The International Maritime Organization is the United Nations specialised agency responsible for the international regulatory framework governing shipping.