US threatens visa restrictions, sanctions against UN members that back IMO plan

11/10/2025 12:27

The United States on Friday threatened to use visa restrictions and sanctions to retaliate against nations that vote in favor of a plan put forward by a United Nations agency to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from ocean shipping.



U.N. member nations are scheduled to vote next week on the International Maritime Organization's Net-Zero Framework proposal to reduce global carbon dioxide gas emissions from the international shipping sector, which handles around 80% of world trade and accounts for close to 3% of global greenhouse gases.



Large container carriers, under pressure from investors to fight climate change, generally agree that a global regulatory framework is crucial to speeding up decarbonisation. Still, some of the world's biggest oil tanker companies said they had "grave concerns" about the proposal.



"The Administration unequivocally rejects this proposal before the IMO and will not tolerate any action that increases costs for our citizens, energy providers, shipping companies and their customers, or tourists," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a joint statement.