The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is proposing new fees of up to $1 million for each port call by Chinese shipping lines in the United States. Non-Chinese carriers would also face higher fees for calling at U.S. ports if their fleets include any ships built in China.
- The U.S. Trade Representative has proposed port fees of up to $1 million per Chinese-built ship entering U.S. ports to counter China’s dominance in shipbuilding.
- USTR’s investigation found that China’s share of global shipbuilding rose from 5% in 1999 to over 50% in 2023, driven by state subsidies, which have weakened the U.S. shipbuilding industry.
- The proposal also includes a requirement for a growing percentage of U.S. exports to be transported on U.S.-flagged and U.S.-built ships, starting at 1% and increasing to 15% over seven years.
- A public hearing on these proposals is scheduled for March 24.
