Chinese Carriers Rejig Schedules To Avoid US Port Calls As Fees Loom

15 Aug Chinese Carriers Rejig Schedules To Avoid US Port Calls As Fees Loom

Chinese shipping companies are said to be adjusting their routes and potentially shifting to alliance partners to avoid new US port fees targeting Chinese built, owned or operated vessels.

This new fee regime targeting China-linked vessels is scheduled to commence rollout in October 2025. This will apply to both Chinese-owned/operators and Chinese-built ships, with non-payment potentially blocking cargo operations and port clearance via imminent operational bans.

Under the finalised policy, Chinese-owned or operated vessels will be charged starting at $50 per net tonne, escalating to $140 per tonne by April 2028. Non-Chinese operators of Chinese-built ships face lower fees – starting at $18 per tonne or $120 per container, rising to $33 per tonne or $250 per container, whichever yields more.

The fees are assessed on a per-voyage (or rotation) basis, capped at five chargeable port rotations per vessel per year, and apply only at the first port of call. Exemptions are granted for short-sea shipping, vessels under size thresholds, U.S.-owned ships, ballast voyages, and specialised export carriers.

This implementation follows industry feedback and revisions to earlier proposals that proposed multi-million-dollar flat fees per call on Chinese-built tankers

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