United States eases port fees on China-built ships after industry backlash

In a strategic move to revive American shipbuilding, the Trump administration has announced exemptions from new port fees for US-based exporters and vessel owners operating in the Great Lakes, the Caribbean, and US territories. The fees, originally proposed to reach $1.5 million per port call for China-built vessels, have been significantly scaled back following industry backlash.According to a notice from the US Trade Representative (USTR), the revised policy now exempts vessels engaged in domestic shipping, including trade with US territories and Caribbean nations. Companies like Matson and Seaboard Marine, as well as Canadian vessels serving Great Lakes ports, are among those who will avoid the levies.The softened rules address widespread concerns from global shipping operators, who warned the original plan would disrupt trade and increase costs by up to $30 billion annually for US importers. Instead, the USTR has introduced a tiered fee system based on net tonnage or per-container charges, gradually increasing over the next three years.Chinese-built, Chinese-owned ships: $50 per net ton, rising $30