Beginning October 14, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will implement new fees on vessels linked to China, including those that are Chinese-owned, operated, or built.

For Chinese-owned or operated vessels, fees will start at $50 per net ton, rising to $140 per ton by April 2028. Non-Chinese operators utilizing Chinese-built ships will incur lower fees, commencing at $18 per ton or $120 per container, with increases to $33 per ton or $250 per container, based on whichever charge is higher.

These fees will be applied per voyage, but there is a cap of five chargeable port calls per vessel each year, with billing restricted to the first U.S. port of entry. Certain exemptions apply to vessels under size thresholds, U.S.-owned ships, short-sea ships, ballast voyages, and specialized export carriers.

Carriers will pay these fees through a new Pay.gov portal, currently in development by the CBP. Failure to pay may result in blocked port access or the denial of cargo operations, including offloading cargo to port entry and exit clearance.

This new fee structure replaces previous proposals that suggested multi-million-dollar flat fees per call on Chinese-built vessels. The final version adopts a tiered model, taking into account industry feedback.

Proponents argue the fees aim to diminish China’s influence in global shipping, bolster U.S. port security, and promote American shipbuilding. However critics, including automakers and the World Shipping Council, caution that the fees may lead to higher consumer prices and negatively impact traffic at smaller U.S. ports.

Source: splash247.com