China’s Cosco says US port charges threaten global supply chains

China’s largest container shipping company, Cosco Shipping Lines, has strongly opposed a recent decision by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to impose new port fees on Chinese-built vessels docking at American ports. The company issued a sharp statement on Monday, calling the move "discriminatory" and damaging to global shipping.

“We firmly oppose the accusations and the subsequent measures,” Cosco said. “Such actions distort fair competition, disrupt normal operations of the global shipping industry, and threaten the security and stability of global supply chains.”

The criticism follows the USTR’s revised fee structure announced last week, replacing a more aggressive earlier plan that faced strong opposition from U.S. importers, exporters, and maritime industry stakeholders. The updated policy will impose fees based on a vessel's net tonnage or the number of containers it carries, whichever results in higher charges.

As the world’s fourth-largest container line, Cosco is expected to be significantly impacted by the new fees. The company operates major shipping routes between Asia and the U.S., often in partnership with OOCL (China) and Evergreen (Taiwan) under the Ocean Alliance. The USTR’s decision comes after an investigation concluded that China used unfair trade practices to gain dominance in the global shipbuilding and shipping sectors.

Cosco has denied those claims, stating:
“As a responsible global provider, we uphold integrity, transparency, and compliance in global trade. These measures undermine the healthy development of the maritime industry and the supply chain's resilience.”

The new U.S. port fees are set to take effect in October, as Washington seeks to revive domestic shipbuilding and reduce dependency on Chinese maritime infrastructure.