You are using an outdated browser For a better experience using this site, please upgrade to a modern web browser. Subscribe Get Daily Email Subscribe --> Contact Us Sign in Home News & Features Compliance Costs Bunker Prices Bunker Intelligence EMEA News Latest Features World Americas EMEA Asia/Pacific Home News & Features EMEA Oil Producers Saudi Arabia and UAE Call for Alternatives to IMO NZF Oil Producers Saudi Arabia and UAE Call for Alternatives to IMO NZF by Ship & Bunker News Team Tuesday August 4, 2026 Tweet Follow @shipandbunker Two inter-sessional meetings are scheduled for September 1-4 and November 23-27. Image Credit: IMO Saudi and UAE argue long-haul trade could face higher NZF costs Two inter-sessional meetings are scheduled for September 1-4 and November 23-27, ahead of MEPC 85 on November 30-December 3 NZF failed adoption last October amid pressure from US-led block Saudi Arabia and the UAE have called for alternatives to the IMO 's Net-Zero Framework (NZF) , warning that its current proposed plan could disproportionately affect long-haul trade and remote economies. The two countries raised their concerns in a submission to the IMO last month ahead of the first inter-sessional meeting scheduled next month. They argue that a uniform global compliance cost would not result in an even economic burden across shipping routes, commodities and countries. “In shipping, cost incidence is not uniform because freight markets and trade demand are not uniform,” the submission said. “ The IMO Net-Zero Framework design does not treat distributional outcomes “These features imply that a uniform global compliance cost can produce uneven real-world burdens.” Saudi Arabia and the UAE also warned that compliance costs would increase with fuel consumption and voyage distance. “The IMO Net-Zero Framework also embeds geographic asymmetry through a distance-based markup,” they said. “This increases the delivered cost of goods more sharply for longer route