The Methanol Institute said it “notes with regret” the outcome, describing the postponement as a missed opportunity for the global shipping sector but also a chance to strengthen consensus around a unified climate strategy.
“The decision to adjourn by one year should not diminish the significance of the progress achieved so far,” said Felicia Mester, Managing Director for Europe and IMO at the Methanol Institute.
“A global framework remains the most effective pathway for a global, coordinated transition to net zero in shipping. We urge the IMO community to use the year ahead to work collaboratively and reach a consensus.’’
MI warned that without such a framework, decarbonisation efforts risk becoming fragmented under regional rules — a scenario that could make the transition “slower, more complex, and more costly for the industry as a whole.”
It added that a clear and predictable regulatory structure would accelerate investment in low-carbon fuels such as methanol and the infrastructure required to scale them up.
The Methanol Institute represents more than 100 members worldwide, including leading producers, distributors, and shipping companies, and advocates for methanol’s role as both an essential industrial chemical and a cleaner marine fuel.
