Ship Fee Proposal to be Eased

The Trump administration is revising its proposed port fees on Chinese-built vessels as it implements a sweeping Executive Order aimed at restoring American maritime strength.

The fees could be cumulative and in some cases could reach $3.5 million per port call.   Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday that adjustments were underway. "They're not all going to be implemented. They're not all going to be stacked," Greer said.

Officials familiar with the matter told Reuters the administration now plans to reduce the burden on exporters by basing fees largely on vessel capacity and easing charges on ships carrying U.S. agricultural exports such as soybeans and timber.

The original proposal, unveiled by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in February, would have imposed fees ranging from $500,000 to $1.5 million per port call on China-linked ships. The new version under consideration reduces the overall cost to smaller vessels and may include delayed implementation, according to six sources briefed on the changes. A typical container ship calls at four U.S. ports per voyage, raising concerns that the fees would compound quickly.

Industry feedback prompted the changes. Representatives from agriculture, coal, and shipping sectors warned the proposed charges could devastate exports and supply chains. “The time it would take to replace Chinese-linked vessels could cripple shipments,” one participant testified during public hearings.

China’s Foreign Ministry responded Wednesday, stating that U.S. port fees “will not revitalize America’s shipbuilding industry but only harm others and itself.”