Alder BioInsights News Review: Biofuels, August 2025

Foreword brief

The global shipping industry is pushing to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as evidenced by the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) new Net-Zero Framework. Approved in April 2025 and set to be formalized in October 2025 for a 2027 implementation, this policy introduces mandatory emissions limits and a pricing system to penalize over-emitters and reward users of zero-emission technologies. However, the framework faces opposition from the U.S. government, which, under the Trump Administration, has rejected it as a “global carbon tax” that they claim would harm American consumers and businesses while unfairly benefiting China. Despite this, a cost analysis by the Global Maritime Forum and UMAS International indicates that zero-emission fuels like e-ammonia and e-methanol will become the most economically viable long-term options, in case this framework gets adopted. An encouraging development is the partnership between the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO), which aims to accelerate decarbonization efforts in the dry bulk sector through technology promotion and financial solutions.

Read about these and more news stories in the PDF below.