the sector pay for its more than 1 billion tons of annual greenhouse emissions, a person familiar with the matter said, asking not to be named discussing non-public information.
Athens had always been skeptical of the net zero framework and its impact on the shipping industry, the person said. In April, however, the country voted yes on a draft plan for the sweeping new rules.
A spokesperson for the Greek government declined to comment.
While the European Union is pushing its members to support the maritime levy, the US is strongly opposing it. After threatening to respond with measures such as port levies, visa restrictions and tariffs, Washington proposed introducing another step in adopting the charge, which would add a further hurdle for it to come into force.
Greece’s abstention would mark a departure of the southern European Union member state from the joint position of the bloc, which wants to lead the global fight against climate change.
The European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, last week called for adoption of the IMO net zero framework, saying it was a “significant milestone” to decarbonize the shipping sector and ensure a level playing field.
Greek’s reservations regarding the levy have been submitted to the European authorities in writing well before the vote, the person familiar with the government’s stance added.
The net zero framework relies on fuels and technologies that aren’t available at scale, and introduces sharp penalties for not using them, the person said, adding this would inflate costs as companies chase limited supplies.
The final adoption of the new framework isn’t guaranteed due to Washington’s opposition. In April the draft plan for the new rules had gained wide support.
How Countries Voted in Spring
A repeat of April's result would see the Net-Zero Framework pass
| Yes |
|
No |
Abstain |
Absent* |
| Antigua And Barbuda |
Lithuania |
Iran (Islamic Republic Of) |
Argentina |
Albania |
| Bahamas. |
Luxembourg |
Iraq |
Australia. |
Benin |
| Barbados |
Malta |
Kuwait |
Azerbaijan |
Bulgaria |
| Belgium |
Namibia |
Malaysia |
Bangladesh |
Congo |
| Belize |
Netherlands (Kingdom Of The) |
Morocco |
Ghana |
Czechia |
| Brazil. |
Norway |
Russian Federation |
Kiribati |
Gabon |
| Canada |
Panama |
Saudi Arabia |
Liberia |
Guinea-Bissau |
| Chile |
Peru |
United Arab Emirates |
Madagascar |
Guyana |
| China |
Philippines |
|
Marshall Islands |
Israel |
| Cook Islands |
Poland |
|
New Zealand |
Jordan |
| Croatia |
Portugal. |
|
Palau |
Mauritius |
| Cyprus |
Republic Of Korea |
|
Seychelles |
Monaco |
| Denmark |
Romania |
|
Solomon Islands |
Mongolia |
| Estonia |
Saint Kitts And Nevis |
|
Tuvalu |
Montenegro |
| Finland |
Saint Lucia |
|
Vanuatu |
Nigeria |
| France |
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines |
|
Vietnam |
Niue |
| Germany |
Samoa |
|
|
Sao Tome & Principe |
| Greece |
San Marino |
|
|
Serbia |
| Guatemala |
Singapore |
|
|
Sierra Leone |
| Honduras |
Slovenia |
|
|
Slovakia |
| Iceland |
South Africa |
|
|
Syrian Arab Republic |
| India |
Spain |
|
|
Togo |
| Indonesia |
Sweden |
|
|
Tonga |
| Ireland |
Switzerland |
|
|
Trinidad and Tobago |
| Italy |
Turkiye |
|
|
Tunisia |
| Jamaica |
Ukraine |
|
|
Turkmenistan |
| Japan |
United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland |
|
|
United States |
| Kenya |
Uruguay |
|
|
|
| Latvia |
|
|
|
|
| Total: |
57 |
8 |
16 |
27 |
Source: IMO documents & BCG, compiled by Bloomberg News
Note: Above table removes nations that are not signatories to MARPOL Annex VI and are therefore unable to vote on adoption of the NZF *United States -- and some other countries -- are signatories, but were not listed in the April vote results. They have been added to the "Absent" column here.
Greece is the world’s second-largest ship-owning nation, trailing only China, according to data from Clarkson Research Services Ltd., a unit of the world’s largest ship broker.
(Bloomberg, October 16, 2025)