US to Levy $50 per Ton on Chinese Ships from Oct 14​

The United States has taken new steps to impose port fees on Chinese vessels: According to a report by industry media Lloyd's List, the U.S. is now fully prepared to collect the fees.  

The report cites sources stating that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been designated as the agency responsible for implementing and collecting the new port fees. A dedicated Pay.gov platform will be established for shipowners and operators to complete payments. Vessels failing to comply will be denied port entry, cargo unloading, and port clearance permits.  
Under the finalized rules, vessels owned by Chinese shipowners or operated by Chinese companies will face an initial fee of 50 per net ton, gradually increasing to 140 per net ton by April 2028. Each vessel will be subject to a maximum of five fee collections per year.  

For non-Chinese operators using Chinese-built vessels, the fees are relatively lower: starting at 18 per net ton or 120 per container (whichever is higher), with future increases to 33 per net ton and 250 per container.  

To illustrate the impact, consider a mainstream vessel on the China-U.S. route with a maximum capacity of 8,500 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) and a net tonnage of approximately 59,000 tons. If the operator is Chinese, starting October 14, each U.S. voyage will incur a fee of 2.95 million (about RMB 21.5 million). With five port calls per year, the annual cost would reach 14.75 million, escalating to 23.69 million, 32.45 million, and $41.3 million in subsequent years—for just one vessel.  

The World Shipping Council has questioned the policy’s legality, arguing it will severely impact large vessels critical to the U.S. economy. 

Why?  
Global shipping heavily relies on Chinese vessels. For instance, 92% of Mediterranean Shipping Company’s future orders are from Chinese shipyards, while Maersk and CMA CGM have over 50% of their fleets built in China.  

In 2024, China’s shipbuilding industry ranked first globally for the 15th consecutive year in three key metrics: completed vessels, new orders, and order backlogs. By the first half of this year, China’s share of global shipbuilding output, new orders, and backlog reached 51.7%, 68.3%, and 64.9% by deadweight tonnage, respectively (or 47.2%, 64.0%, and 57.6% by compensated gross tonnage). Thus, the "port fee" policy will affect all shipping enterprises using Chinese-built vessels.  

On the other hand, U.S. agricultural exports to China, such as soybeans, also depend on Chinese vessels. Mike Cohen, a representative of the American Soybean Association, calculated that if shipping costs rise by 15% per vessel, farmers could lose $30 per ton in profits.  
Even small Caribbean shipping companies like Tropical Shipping are feeling the pinch: "Our banana carriers are all Chinese-built. One port fee exceeds the value of a full shipment of bananas! We might as well switch to selling coconut water."  

However, the U.S. move has created opportunities for South Korea, another major shipbuilding nation. In 2024, China secured 70% of global shipbuilding orders, while South Korea accounted for only 17%. According to a July 4 report by Nikkei Asia, Korean companies are leveraging the U.S. push to revitalize domestic shipbuilding. With government support, Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean have recently signed cooperation agreements with U.S. firms to build ships locally in America.