US Announces New Port Fees For Chinese Ships Amid Trade War

Abdullah Hussain (@Abdulla99267510) Published April 19, 2025 | 02:34 PM

US Trade Representative Jamison Greer announces new fees, says ships and shipping are vital to America's economic security and free flow of trade

WASHINGTON: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-April 19^th, 2025) The United States on Saturday announced new port fees for Chinese-made and Chinese-owned ships as part of an effort to promote its shipbuilding industry and reduce China's dominance in the maritime sector.

US Trade Representative Jamison Greer while announcing the new fees stated that ships and shipping are vital to America's economic security and the free flow of trade. Most of these new fees will take effect in mid-October.

Under the new rules, a per-ton fee will be imposed up to five times a year on every ship associated with China that enters US ports—though not at all ports. Separate fees will apply to vessels operated by Chinese companies and to ships manufactured in China, with both sets of fees set to gradually increase over the coming years.

Additionally, all non-US-built car carrier vessels will become subject to the fee within 180 days.

The policy also introduced new fees for LNG (liquefied natural gas) carriers, although these will not be implemented until three years later.

According to a fact sheet released alongside the announcement, the fees will not cover shipping on the Great Lakes or in the Caribbean nor will they apply to shipping within US territories or to vessels exporting large quantities of goods that arrive in the US empty.