Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center Granted IMO Consultative Status

The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping has been granted consultative status at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) following approval by the IMO Council, enabling the independent non-governmental organisation to formally participate in the organisation’s committees, sub-committees and working groups.

The recognition marks a significant milestone for the Denmark-based research centre, allowing it to contribute directly to the development of international regulations supporting the maritime industry’s transition to zero-carbon shipping.

Formal Role in IMO Regulatory Process

With consultative status, the Centre will be able to provide independent technical expertise during IMO discussions covering greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction measures, energy efficiency regulations, alternative fuel certification, life-cycle assessment methodologies and safety standards for emerging marine fuels such as ammonia.

The organisation said the status reflects its growing role in supporting international regulatory work through science-based analysis since its establishment six years ago.

Supporting IMO’s Decarbonisation Agenda

The Centre said it intends to use its new role to support the implementation of the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy, which sets the framework for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping around 2050.

Future contributions are expected to focus on:

• Greenhouse gas reduction mechanisms
• Energy efficiency regulation reviews
• Alternative fuel and ammonia safety
• Fuel certification and life-cycle assessment
• Technical cooperation and capacity building with IMO Member States and Maritime Technology Cooperation Centres (MTCCs)

The organisation said it will continue to provide technology-neutral and fuel-agnostic analysis to support evidence-based policymaking.

Collaboration Across the Maritime Industry

The Centre acknowledged the support of its network of strategic, knowledge and academic partners, highlighting the role of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) in supporting its engagement with the IMO.

The organisation currently collaborates with 18 Strategic Partners, 21 Knowledge Partners and five Academic Partners across six continents.