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119-s-2243119th CongressWALLET

International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]

Introduced

Summary

A per-voyage fee on large cargo ships to price lifecycle greenhouse gases and air pollution. This bill would create voyage-level reporting and fee rules that charge ships for CO2e and for NOx, SO2, and PM2.5, and it would channel the revenue into grants and loans to decarbonize U.S. shipping and ports.

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  • Shipping companies and importers would face mandatory voyage reporting beginning January 1, 2027 and a lifecycle CO2e fee calculated from fuel mass, lifecycle emission rates, and a base charge of $150 per unit mass.
  • Ports and nearby communities would see location-based air-pollutant fees tied to fuel used in U.S. waters, with unit-cost multipliers such as $6.30 for NOx and $38.90 for PM2.5 and higher charges for polar-region voyage segments.
  • Port authorities, Jones Act vessel owners, and low-carbon fuel projects would be eligible for grants, loans, and demonstrations funded by the program because the bill directs all fees collected to those programs beginning in fiscal year 2029.

This framework also includes crediting for certain remedial units, recognition of some foreign fees to avoid double charging, penalties for late payment, and clawback rules for misuse of grant funds.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Fee revenues fund port and fuel programs

If enacted, this bill would spend 100% of voyage-fee collections each year starting in fiscal year 2029. Allocations would use prior-year collections and split funds by fixed shares: 25% to DOE for low-carbon fuel and tech grants, 25% to MARAD for Jones Act vessel replacement/retrofit, 15% to EPA Clean Ports, 10% to EPA ferry electrification, 10% to EPA harbor craft electrification, 5% to EPA workforce training, 5% to EPA port-area air monitoring, 3% to NOAA, and 2% to Commerce for Save Our Seas activities. Eligible applicants would include Jones Act vessel owners, states, port authorities, maritime academies, fuel and tech developers, and private partners. Awards would require certifications and include clawbacks for violations, and programs may use up to 1% of each allocation for administration.

New voyage pollution fees and reporting

This bill would make operators and some importers pay new per-voyage pollution fees starting January 1, 2027. CO2e fees would be $150 per metric ton of lifecycle CO2e for each fuel type, with a 3× multiplier for parts of voyages north of 60° N or south of 60° S. Fees for air pollutants in U.S. waters would be $6.30 per pound of NOx, $18.00 per pound of SO2, and $38.90 per pound of PM2.5. EPA would require voyage-level reporting starting January 1, 2027, and must publish lifecycle fuel emission profiles by that date to compute fees. Importers on certain voyages can pay a prorated pre-import fee. Late payments would carry an initial 20% penalty and another 20% for each 30-day period unpaid.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]

RI • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 7/10/2025

  • Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 7/10/2025

  • Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]

    VT • D

    Sponsored 7/10/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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