ABOUT

A global framework
for responsible ship finance

The Poseidon Principles are a framework for assessing and disclosing the climate alignment of ship finance portfolios. They establish common global baselines to quantitatively evaluate and disclose whether lending portfolios are consistent with adopted climate ambitions.

There are two types of membership to the Poseidon Principles: signatories and associate members. Signatories commit to implementing the four principles in their internal policies, procedures, and standards and to work in partnership with their clients and partners on an ongoing basis to implement the Poseidon Principles. Signatories are required to annually report the climate alignment of their shipping portfolios in accordance with the principles. Associate members show their support for the Poseidon Principles and are encouraged to use the methodology in their own reports, but have no formal reporting requirements.

Currently, 36 financial institutions are signatories to the Poseidon Principles, representing just about three-quarters of the global ship finance portfolio. In December 2025, the Poseidon Principles expanded to include associate members and encourage all financial institutions, whether they lend on a secured or unsecured basis, to join the existing members in this pivotal moment as associate members.

The Poseidon Principles methodology is consistent with the policies and ambitions of the IMO, a UN agency responsible for regulating shipping globally, including the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy (formally known as the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships or Resolution MEPC.377(80)). This revised ambition states that emissions from international shipping should reach net-zero by or around 2050 compared to 2008 levels, with interim targets in 2030 and 2040, and considers full lifecycle emissions in a well-to-wake carbon equivalent perspective.

The Poseidon Principles are intended to evolve over time to include other issues where the collective influence of financial institutions can help improve the international shipping industry. Some signatories or associate members may choose to go beyond the global baselines established by the Poseidon Principles, which offer significant benefits to the members, to the global maritime industry, and to society as a whole.

Learn more about how the Poseidon Principles were developed here.