PPR 13: NGOs Criticise IMO’s Slow Progress on Cleaner Fuel Rules for Arctic Shipping in International Shipping News 16/02/2026 As a meeting of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Pollution Prevention and Response committee closes today (PPR 13, February 9-13), the Clean Arctic Alliance welcomed progress and support for an Arctic fuel measure, which would reduce black carbon emissions from international shipping in the Arctic, but expressed disappointment that an expedited process was deemed impossible – with further progress delayed for a full year. Meanwhile, the outcome on regulating exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers) was even more disappointing, with no progress at this meeting – and further delay. A key paper submitted to PPR 13-6, by Denmark, which represents Greenland at the International Maritime Organization, along with France, Germany and the Solomon Islands, proposed a new mandatory Arctic fuel measure for MARPOL Annex VI, requiring that ships sailing in the Arctic use cleaner fuels with low emissions of black carbon. The proposal received widespread support this week, however during discussion in a working group, it became apparent that some refinement was needed, while a handful of IMO member states opposed using the proposal as the basis of a new regulation. Furthermore, there was no discussion of the geographic area in which a new regulation would be applied. “In the coming year, IMO member states – especially Arctic states – must urgently drive further progress on an Arctic fuel proposal, which sets out the characteristics of fuels that would be considered suitable for use in the region – so-called polar fuels”, said Dr Sian Prior, Lead Advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance. “While progress was made this week on an Arctic fuel measure -with many countries showing support, after 15 years of stagnation by the IMO on polar fuels, this is far from what is needed to urgently address the clean-up of air polluting emissions from international shipping and thus curb their impacts on the Arctic. In particular, it is essential that the IMO and its members move ahead and agree on the geographic application of a new measure this year.” At the beginning of this week, the Clean Arctic Alliance called on IMO Member States to support the PPR 13-6 proposal in a working group at PPR 13, and subsequently forward it to the Marine Environment Protection Committee for approval this year – but for now IMO member states and interested parties are invited to submit a new or amended proposal to the next meeting in early 2027. “Emissions of black carbon from shipping have a disproportionate impact in the Arctic, by contributing to the melt of sea and land-ice leading to global consequences. Black carbon emissions also increase the risk of respiratory and cardio-vascular illnesses in local communities”, added Prior. “This past December saw the lowest Arctic sea ice extent in the 47-year satellite record – melting of the Arctic sea ice results in loss of ice habitat, important for wildlife and Indigenous communities in the Arctic, while the melting of land-ice – glaciers – contributes to rising global sea-levels. We can not wait another year before taking the next steps”. “The Clean Arctic Alliance welcomes the wide support for characterising polar fuels suitable fuels for use in the Arctic using fuel density, viscosity and carbon residue maxima to help limit sooting”, said Bill Hemmings, Black Carbon Advisor to the Clean Arctic Alli