US port fees on China-linked ships take effect
Section 301 fees on vessels owned, operated or built in China, and on foreign-built vehicle carriers, began Oct. 14, 2025.
Fees on ships owned, operated or built in China began applying at U.S. ports on Oct. 14, 2025, under a Section 301 action the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative took in April.
The fees
USTR's April 17 action followed its investigation of China's targeting of the maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors for dominance. USTR said fees would be set at zero for the first 180 days.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection listed the fees effective Oct. 14:
- $50 per net ton for an arriving vessel owned or operated by a Chinese entity.
- The higher of $18 per net ton or $120 for each container discharged from an arriving Chinese-built vessel.
USTR's April fact sheet said the fee on Chinese owners and operators would rise incrementally in later years.
Vehicle carriers
On Oct. 10, USTR changed the basis for calculating fees on operators of foreign-built vehicle carriers and set that fee at $46 per net ton as of Oct. 14.
USTR also imposed 100% tariffs on certain ship-to-shore cranes and cargo handling equipment. It proposed further tariffs of up to 150% on other cargo handling equipment, such as rubber tire gantry cranes, and their components, with comments due Nov. 12.
USTR said payment of certain service fees could be deferred through Dec. 10, 2025, while it evaluated comments on the proposals.
Paying the fee
CBP said the burden for determining whether a vessel owes a fee is on the operator, not CBP. Operators must pay on or before the vessel's entry at the first U.S. port on a voyage, through the Treasury Department's Pay.gov website, not at the port of entry.
Vessels without proof of payment could be denied loading or unloading, or have clearance withheld until payment is verified. CBP recommended starting payment at least three business days before arrival. Liquefied natural gas tankers were exempt from the fees.
What it meant for carriers
USTR said ships move 61% of U.S. international goods trade with Asia by value. CBP's guidance said vessels without proof of payment could face delays in loading or unloading at U.S. ports.