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 for any ship calling at a U.S. gateway, 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.

Carriers will pay these fees through a new Pay.gov portal, currently in development by the CBP. Failure to pay could result in denial of cargo operations or having departure clearances withheld.

This new fee structure replaces previous proposals that suggested multi-million-dollar flat fees per call on Chinese-built vessels. The final version will adopt a tiered model following 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