US accuses IMO of secretive attempts to impose a global tax

President Donald Trump lashes out at the International Maritime Organization

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Calling the International Maritime Organization an “obscure UN body”, US President Donald Trump, told the United Nations yesterday in New York that his administration had been forced to intervene and stop the body from “secretly” establishing a global carbon tax.

The United States’ position on climate change issues under the Trump administration has been made clear on numerous occasions with the President referring to it as a hoax and condemning most environmentally-backed initiatives.

Describing the IMO’s programme towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions as secretive, however, is a stretch. IMO committees have been working to establish regulatory action to cut emissions from shipping since 2011 when energy efficiency regulations for ships were introduced.

By 2020, in an effort to ensure evidence-based decision making, the IMO had undertaken four separate GHG studies in the industry, and in 2024 undertook a comprehensive impact assessment.

None of this has been done in secret. It is a well documented process with input from the IMO Member States, including the USA which has served on the IMO Council throughout this timeline. In addition, it has involved a large score of committee and sub-committee meetings with significant participation.

The most recent meeting of the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 22) met for its 22nd meeting from 1-4 September 2026, and drew high level engagement with nearly 1,200 registered participants.

While it is important to acknowledge areas of non-consensus, the aim to introduce a carbon tax in the shipping industry, is most certainly not a secret plot to impose a global mechanism without due process.

In fact, the IMO agreed to adjourn the extraordinary session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee in October last year to consider the adoption of draft amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, including the IMO Net-Zero Framework when discussions appeared in deadlock.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump delivers a speech at the UN Assembly. (Source: White House Facebook page)

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