“The maritime industry is currently navigating a period of strategic dissonance. On one hand, the IMO’s 2023 Greenhouse Gas Strategy demands a 20%–30% reduction in emissions by 2030; on the other, the global fleet is aging, and the ‘multi-fuel future’ remains a fragmented landscape of pilot programs and high premiums.

As we convene at APM Singapore 2026, the industry faces a critical litmus test. The recent postponement of the formal IMO Net-Zero Framework (NZF) vote has created a vacuum of certainty, forcing shipowners to choose between ‘early-mover’ risks or the looming threat of regional carbon taxes and stranded assets.

This debate will dive into the hard truths of the transition:

• The Global Infrastructure Gap: We are witnessing a ‘Hardware-vs-Molecule’ mismatch. While dual-fuel engines are finally hitting the water, the global supply chain for green methanol and ammonia remains localized and insufficient. How do we solve the availability crisis when production projects are stalling due to lack of offtake agreements?
• Regulatory Fragmentation vs. Global Unity: With the IMO process paused, are we drifting toward a patchwork of contradictory regional mandates (like FuelEU Maritime and emerging Asian standards) that undermine the efficiency of international trade?
• The Economics of Uncertainty: Without a confirmed global pricing mechanism on carbon to bridge the price gap between fossil and green fuels, how can stakeholders justify the massive CAPEX required for net-zero assets in a high-inflation, low-margin environment?

This debate is essential for shipowners, charterers, bunker suppliers, and maritime financiers who must reconcile the $3.7 trillion cost of transition with the current lack of a global carbon price and the scarcity of future fuels. By bringing together the pragmatists and the policy-makers, we will debate whether the IMO still holds the “Global Grip” on the industry’s future or if the reality of today has already forced a change in course.

Join us as we challenge the narrative: Are we witnessing a calculated evolution, or is the regulatory framework losing its grip on a rapidly diverging market?”