Abusive port fees blackmail global shipping sector

What is the USTR's proposal?

On April 17, 2025, the Office of the US Trade Representative released the final notice of action regarding its investigation into what it called "China's unfair practices in the shipbuilding and maritime logistics sectors". With regard to the draft Federal Register Notice and the accompanying press release, the United States is set to levy fees on vessels arriving at US ports which are owned, operated or built by China.

This measure will be rolled out in two phases. The first is scheduled to begin on Oct 14. During this stage, the US will start charging fees which are calculated based on the net tonnage of arriving vessels. For ships with Chinese operators or owners, the fee will commence at $50 per net ton and gradually increase to $140 per net ton over a three-year period.