Trump administration announces fees on Chinese ships docking at U.S. ports

The Trump administration on Thursday announced fees on Chinese-built vessels after a United States Trade Representative investigation by the Biden-Trump administrations found China's acts, policies and practices were unreasonable and burden or restrict U.S. commerce.

"Ships and shipping are vital to American economic security and the free flow of commerce," said U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. "The Trump administration's actions will begin to reverse Chinese dominance, address threats to the U.S. supply chain, and send a demand signal for U.S.-built ships."

The USTR said China largely achieved its dominance through its increasingly aggressive and specific targeting of these sectors, severely disadvantaging U.S. companies, workers and the U.S. economy.

The fees will be charged once per voyage and not per port, as originally proposed.

The policy proposal, begun under the Biden administration and culminating in a January report concluded China's shipbuilding industry had an unfair advantage, would allow the U.S. government to impose steep levies on Chinese-made ships arriving at U.S. ports.

The original proposal called for a service fee of up to $1 million to be charged on each Chinese-owned operators (such as Cosco). The original proposal also said that for non-Chinese-owned ocean carriers with fleets containing Chinese-built vessels, the service fee would be up to $1.5 million for each U.S. port of call.

The USTR acknowledged this change was made due to the public comments at the two days of hearings on the fines in March where over 300 trade groups and other interested parties testified. Many warned the government in letters and in testimony that the U.S. was in no position to win an economic war that placed ocean carriers using Chinese-made vessels in the middle. Soon, Chinese-made vessels will represent 98% of the trade ships on the world's oceans.

Vessel owners could be eligible for a remission of the fees if they can provide proof of a U.S. shipbuilding order. The remission of the fee would be based on a net tonnage capacity of equal to or less than the U.S. built vessel ordered. "If a prospective vessel owner does not take delivery of the U.S.-built vessel ordered within three years, the fees will become due immediately," the report read.

In a statement on Friday, China's commerce ministry called on the U.S. to stop "shifting blame" and correct its "wrong" practice as soon as possible, according to a report from Reuters.

"China will closely monitor relevant developments from the U.S. side and will resolutely take necessary measures to safeguard its own interests," according to the statement.

The World Shipping Council also issued a statement Friday detailing "serious concerns" over the port fees, calling the move "a step in the wrong direction."

"The WSC is urging the Administration to reconsider this counterproductive measure, which risks harming U.S. consumers, manufacturers, and farmers without delivering meaningful progress toward revitalizing the U.S. maritime industry," it said.

For the first 180 days, the fees would be set at zero and are broken down into various categories. All charges are based on the net tonnage of a vessel. Container vessels can range from 50,000 to 220,000 tons.

Service Fee on Chinese Vessel Operators and Vessel Owners of China:

• Effective as of April 17, 2025, a fee in the amount of $0 per net ton for the arriving vessel.
• Effective as of October 14, 2025, a fee in the amount of $50 per net ton for the arriving vessel.
• Effective as of April 17, 2026, a fee in the amount of $80 per net ton for the arriving vessel.
• Effective as of April 17, 2027, a fee in the amount of $110 per net ton for the arriving vessel.
• Effective as of April 17, 2028, a fee in the amount of $140 per net ton for the arriving vessel.

The fee will be charged up to five times per year, per vessel. The register did not break out the price per container.

Service fees on vessel operators of Chinese-Built vessels is lower.

• Effective as of: April 17, 2025, a fee in the amount of $0 for each container discharged.
• Effective as of October 14, 2025, a fee in the amount of $18 per net ton ($120 per container)
• Effective as of April 17, 2026, a fee in the amount of $23 per net ton ($153 per container)
• Effective as of April 17, 2027, a fee in the amount of $28 per net ton ($195 per container)
• Effective as of April 17, 2028, a fee in the amount of $33 per net ton ($250 per container).

The fee will be charged up to five times per year, per vessel.

Fees on foreign-built car carrier vessels will also be based on their capacity. The fee would start at $150 per Car Equivalent Unit (CEU) in 180 days. 

The second phase actions will not begin for three years and would target LNG vessels. The USTR would limit restrictions on transporting LNG via foreign vessels. These restrictions will increase incrementally over 22 years.

Ocean carriers if they provide proof of ordering a U.S.-built vessel, the fees or restrictions on an equivalent non-U.S.-built vessel are suspended for up to three years.·   

Fees on Chinese-built ships effectively do not cover Great Lakes or Caribbean shipping, shipping to and from U.S. territories.

Bulk exports like coal or grain will be exempt, along with empty ships arriving at the ports.