In a high-stakes trade match, China moves its queen - US ships face port tariffs

October 14 ------ Beijing is set to levy steep port service fees on United States (U.S.)-owned, -operated and -built vessels as well as American shipowners, following Washington’s measures targeting China’s maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors.

As disclosed by the Chinese Ministry of Transport, starting from October 14, 2025, additional port fees will be imposed in accordance with the East Asian nation’s “Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on International Maritime Transport” and other laws, regulations, and basic principles of international law.

The fees will reportedly be administered by the maritime authority at the port of call. As informed, the ships that are to be subject to the collection of these tariffs are:

• vessels owned or operated by enterprises, other organizations, or individuals of the United States;

• vessels owned or operated by enterprises or other organizations in which U.S. entities, other companies, or individuals directly or indirectly hold 25% or more of equity (voting rights or board seats);

• vessels built in the U.S.;

• and vessels flying the American flag.

For the abovementioned ships, the Ministry of Transport has elaborated that the fees are planned to be charged per voyage and implemented in stages. The specific charging standards are as follows:

• from October 14, units berthing at Chinese ports will be charged 400 RMB (around $56.11) per net ton;

• starting April 17, 2026, vessels berthing at Chinese ports will be charged 640 RMB (approximately $89.78) per net ton;

• from April 17, 2027, vessels berthing at Chinese ports shall be charged 880 RMB (roughly $123.45) per net ton;

• from April 17, 2028, ships berthing at Chinese ports shall be charged 1,120 RMB (circa $157.12) per net ton.

It is understood that, if a ship calls at multiple ports in China during the same journey, the special port service fees are envisioned to be paid only at the first port of call, without being collected again at subsequent ports. For the same unit, no more than five voyages per year will allegedly be subject to the tariffs. The move comes amidst escalating trade tensions between China and the United States. October 14 marks not just the commencement of Chinese port fees, but also the start of the tariffs as announced by the Trump administration, which mandate fees on Chinese-owned, -built or -flagged ships calling at U.S. ports.

Following a United States Trade Representative (USTR) Section 301 investigation, the American government had determined that China—which constructs more than 1,700 ships per year while the U.S. only has a five (or less) unit per year output—has an ‘unfair’ dominance in the vessel construction, and, by extension, the maritime sector(s).

Initially, the port fees on Chinese ships were supposed to entail a payment of up to a whopping $1.5 million per call. However, this was amended and revealed in April this year that the tariffs would start at $50/NT in October and increase by $30/NT per year over the next three years. Within the latest announcement, the Chinese Ministry of Transport has reiterated that the action has “violated the relevant principles of international trade and the Sino-U.S. maritime transport agreement,” thus inflicting “severe disruption” to maritime trade between the two countries.

In April, immediately following the dilution of the fees, China’s state-owned giant COSCO Shipping also emphasized that the measures were “discriminatory” and “harmful” to global trade stability. Other organizations, more globally, agreed that the Trump administration’s decision could do more harm than good to an otherwise constantly changing industry.

Source: offshore-energy.biz