S 2243119th CongressIn Committee

International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act of 2025

Introduced: Jul 10, 2025

Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] (D-Rhode Island)

Environment & Climate

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act of 2025 would create a system to charge fees on international cargo shipping based on the environmental impact of those voyages. The core idea is to require operators of large cargo vessels to report voyage data and then pay fees tied to the lifecycle carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) emissions of fuels used, as well as fees tied to emissions of certain criteria air pollutants (NOx, SO2, and PM2.5) generated in U.S. waters and adjacent zones. The revenue would be redirected into aggressive domestic decarbonization programs, including upgrading Jones Act vessels to zero-emission propulsion, funding research and development for low-carbon fuels and technologies, workforce training, harbor craft electrification, ferry electrification, and other port-related zero-emission initiatives. The bill includes a sunset trigger if a global IMOs-aligned fee is enacted and enforced at equal or greater levels, and provides credits if foreign pollution charges apply to the same voyage. In short, the bill shifts costs onto the shipping industry to fund a broad set of U.S.-focused decarbonization and air-quality improvement efforts, with a heavy emphasis on modernizing U.S.-flag vessels and port operations to reduce greenhouse gases and other pollutants.

Key Points

1Two linked fee regimes on covered voyages:
2- Lifecycle CO2e fee: For each voyage, operators pay a fee calculated by summing across fuel types: (fuel mass consumed) × (fuel’s lifecycle CO2e per unit mass) × $150, with annual inflation adjustments and special multipliers for voyages in polar regions. A credits/adjustment mechanism ties in potential reductions if operators owe fees under Annex VI of MARPOL/IMO rules.
3- Criteria air pollutant fee: For NOx, SO2, and PM2.5, fees are calculated using the mass of fuel consumed in U.S. waters times pollutant emission factors (in pounds per unit mass) and corresponding dollar multipliers ($6.30 for NOx, $18 for SO2, $38.90 for PM2.5), with annual inflation adjustments.
4Comprehensive reporting by voyage operators:
5- Beginning January 1, 2027, operators must submit quarterly reports detailing origin, distances, times, fuel types and masses, cargo masses, ports of call (U.S. and foreign), loading/offloading details, time in U.S. ports, and other data needed to compute fees.
6Definition of covered voyages and scope:
7- Applies to self-propelled cargo vessels of 5,000 gross tons or more, from port of origin to final port of call, with certain exclusions (e.g., OCS-regulated voyages with specific emissions, military or disaster-relief transport, Jones Act vessels).
8Alternate fee for imported cargo:
9- Importers can be charged a prorated fee based on the portion of cargo bound for the U.S., with a credit for any fees already charged on the voyage it originated from; compliance requires reporting and payment before cargo import.
10Foreign pollution fee credit:
11- If a foreign port or country imposes a pollution fee that is at least 50% of the U.S. fee, the U.S. fee is reduced by 50%; if it’s less than 50%, the U.S. fee is reduced by the foreign fee amount.
12Sunset provision:
13- The act’s fee regime ends if a global IMO-like lifecycle CO2e fee at equal or greater levels is instituted and enforced by an international body.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected:- Operators and owners of covered cargo voyages (large commercial shippers), importers, and U.S.-flag vessel operators (Jones Act vessels). This includes mariners and shipping companies that would be subject to lifecycle CO2e and air-pollutant fees.Secondary group/area affected:- U.S. ports, port authorities, harbor craft operators, and ferry operators, due to the revenue-directed programs and electrification efforts. This includes workers and businesses involved in port operations and maintenance.Additional impacts:- Domestic decarbonization programs: grants, rebates, and low-interest loans to replace or retrofit Jones Act vessels with zero-emission propulsion, plus expansion of R&D, workforce training, and zero-emission port technology.- Economic signals: potential increases in shipping costs passed through to importers and consumers; incentives for cleaner fuels and low-emission technologies; job creation in green shipping sectors.- Policy alignment and international considerations: the foreign pollution credit mechanism interacts with other countries’ charges and with potential global IMO measures; a global fee could render the U.S. program unnecessary after the sunset trigger.- Oversight and administration: multiple federal agencies (EPA, MARAD under the Department of Transportation, DOE for research funding, and EPA for workforce programs) would administer funding and programs, with limited administrative overhead allowed.Lifecycle CO2e emissions: A measure of a fuel’s total greenhouse gas impact from production to end-use, expressed as CO2-equivalent emissions per unit of fuel.Covered voyage: A qualifying cargo voyage of a large, self-propelled vessel (5,000+ gross tons) whose primary purpose is cargo transport, from origin port to final U.S. port; with some exemptions.Jones Act vessel: A vessel eligible for U.S. coastwise trade under the Jones Act; the bill’s main vessel modernization focus targets these ships.OCS source: Offshore Continental Shelf emissions source as defined by the Clean Air Act, which may be regulated separately.Polar region adjustment: Tripling of fees for portions of voyages north of 60°N or south of 60°S to reflect higher-emission and environmental risk in those areas.Clawback: If an award recipient violates program terms, the government can require repayment of grant funds.

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