“This is a test of leadership and resolve,” wrote Rep. Vern Buchanan and Daniel Blazer in their op-ed published in RealClearWorld. “If America caves to an unaccountable global tax, it will open the door to further encroachments on our sovereignty and weaken our ability to compete with China in industries vital to our security. If we push back, we can protect American jobs, strengthen our supply chains and keep our economy competitive.”
The op-ed comes as the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations agency, prepares to consider a “Net-Zero Framework” aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping. Buchanan and Blazer argue that this framework effectively acts as a global carbon tax on shipping, which they say would raise costs for U.S. businesses and consumers while benefiting China’s shipbuilding industry.
Earlier this year, the IMO Council advanced a proposal for a global carbon pricing framework that would penalize ships based on their emissions. Buchanan contends this measure could lead to premature retirement of ships and increase demand for new vessels—a demand likely met by Chinese shipbuilders.
In June, Buchanan sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer urging him to oppose the proposed tax. He asked Greer to view the tax as part of broader non-market tactics identified in recent investigations into China’s shipbuilding sector.
Buchanan highlighted the potential impact on Florida’s SeaPort Manatee, where World Direct Shipping operates a major service connecting Mexico and the Eastern United States. The company supports more than 500 direct jobs and 14,000 indirect jobs locally.
The op-ed states: “Shipping is the backbone of international trade. Last year alone, America imported more than $4 trillion in goods and exported over $3 trillion.” It argues that if adopted, the new costs could ripple through various sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, consumer goods, and energy. According to Buchanan and Blazer, although the United States accounts for about 11 percent of maritime trade by value, it would bear about 20 percent of the proposed tax burden.
They also note concerns about inflation: “As these costs flow through supply chains, the total inflationary impact is projected to reach nearly $1 trillion between 2028 and 2035.” The State Department has warned that the plan could impose significant economic burdens globally.
Blazer points out that his company’s ships emit less CO2 per ton-mile than trucks or trains but would still be penalized under this framework since it applies only to maritime transport.
Buchanan and Blazer criticize both European Union involvement—citing its influence within IMO—and what they see as disadvantages for U.S. innovation in lower-emission fuels due to restrictive rules favoring alternatives not widely available.
The op-ed concludes: “The IMO framework is bad policy, bad economics and bad geopolitics. The United States must reject it, and the Trump administration must lead the way going into the IMO’s vote. Our workers, our industries and our sovereignty depend on it.”
Vern Buchanan currently represents Florida’s 16th district in Congress after succeeding Katherine Harris in 2007 (https://buchanan.house.gov/about). Before his tenure in Congress began in 2007 (https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/B001260), he served in Florida’s House of Representatives. Born in Detroit in 1951 (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vern-Buchanan), Buchanan now lives in Sarasota. He holds degrees from Cleary University (1975) and University of Detroit Mercy (1986).
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