US proposes up to $1.5 million port fee on Chinese shipping lines

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is proposing new fees on Chinese shipping lines. Each port call in the United States could cost up to $1 million. Non-Chinese carriers would also face higher fees if their fleets include ships built in China.

• The U.S. Trade Representative has proposed port fees of up to $1 million per Chinese-built ship entering U.S. ports. The goal is to counter China’s dominance in shipbuilding.
• As a result of its investigation, USTR found that China’s share of global shipbuilding rose from 5% in 1999 to over 50% in 2023. State subsidies drove this growth and, in turn, weakened the U.S. shipbuilding industry.
• In addition, the proposal requires a growing percentage of U.S. exports to move on U.S.-flagged and U.S.-built ships. This share starts at 1% and increases to 15% over seven years.
• USTR has scheduled a public hearing on these proposals for March 24.

Source: Reuters

How This Affects Shippers

Proposed U.S. port fees on Chinese-built vessels could raise ocean freight costs and reshape carrier routing on trans-Pacific lanes. iSolution Logistics helps importers and exporters plan around evolving trade policy, including customs brokerage and clearance support to keep shipments compliant as regulations change.