On October 14, early in the morning, the Ministry of Transport issued the “Implementation Measures for Collecting Special Port Fees on US Vessels”.
On April 17, 2025, the Office of the United States Trade Representative released the Section 301 investigation measures targeting China’s maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding industries. Starting October 14, 2025, additional port service fees will be imposed on vessels owned or operated by Chinese companies, vessels built in China, and Chinese-flagged vessels. This action seriously violates WTO rules and the Sino-US Maritime Agreement, causing severe disruption to maritime trade between China and the United States.
In accordance with the “Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on International Maritime Transportation” and approved by the State Council, the Ministry of Transport issued the “Announcement of the Ministry of Transport on Collecting Special Port Fees on US Vessels”, deciding to collect special port fees on vessels related to the United States starting October 14. This is a legitimate measure to safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese industries and enterprises and the fair competition environment in international shipping. The “Measures” are the specific arrangements for implementing the “Announcement”.
The “Measures” consist of ten articles, mainly including the basis for formulation, scope of collection, collection standards, collecting entities, voyage count for fee payment, payment requirements, information verification, handling of violations, dynamic adjustments, interpreting authority, and implementation time. They further clarify specific provisions for exempting vessels built in China, empty vessels entering Chinese shipyards solely for repair, and other vessels recognized for exemption from payment. The “Measures” specify requirements for shipowners or their agents to report information to the maritime administration authority before the vessel’s expected arrival at a Chinese port. The “Measures” clarify that the scope, standards, and /end times for collection will be dynamically adjusted as needed.
The specific measures are as follows:
Implementation Measures for Collecting Special Port Fees on US Vessels
Article 1: These Measures are formulated to implement the requirements of the Announcement on Collecting Special Port Fees on US Vessels, in accordance with regulations such as the “Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on International Maritime Transportation”, and to safeguard the development interests of China’s shipping industry.
Article 2: For vessels engaged in international maritime transportation, berthing at Chinese ports, and meeting one of the following conditions, the shipowner or their agent shall pay the Special Port Fee:
(1) Vessels whose ownership belongs to enterprises, other organizations, or individuals of the United States;
(2) Vessels operated by enterprises, other organizations, or individuals of the United States;
(3) Vessels owned or operated by enterprises or other organizations in which enterprises, other organizations, or individuals of the United States directly or indirectly hold 25% or more equity (voting rights, board seats);
(4) Vessels flying the flag of the United States;
(5) Vessels built in the United States.
Vessels built in China falling under items (1) to (4) of the preceding paragraph are exempt from payment. Empty vessels entering Chinese shipyards solely for repair, and other vessels recognized for exemption are exempt from payment.
Article 3: The specific collection standards for the Special Port Fee are as follows (less than 1 net ton is counted as 1 net ton):
(1) For vessels berthing at Chinese ports starting October 14, 2025, the fee is calculated at RMB 400 per net ton;
(2) For vessels berthing at Chinese ports starting April 17, 2026, the fee is calculated at RMB 640 per net ton;
(3) For vessels berthing at Chinese ports starting April 17, 2027, the fee is calculated at RMB 880 per net ton;
(4) For vessels berthing at Chinese ports starting April 17, 2028, the fee is calculated at RMB 1120 per net ton.
For the same vessel, the Special Port Fee shall be collected for no more than 5 voyages per year. April 17 of each year is the start date of the annual billing cycle.
Article 4: The Special Port Fee shall be collected by the maritime administration authority at the location of the port where the vessel calls, and shall be managed and used in accordance with relevant state regulations.
Article 5: If a vessel calls at multiple Chinese ports in the same voyage, the Special Port Fee shall be paid only at the first port of call. For vessels calling at Chinese ports for more than 5 voyages per year, the fee is required for the first 5 voyages; subsequent voyages within the year will not be charged upon presentation of the payment information for the first 5 voyages.
Article 6: The shipowner or their agent shall, 7 days before the vessel’s expected arrival at a Chinese port (or upon departure from the previous port if the voyage is less than 7 days), truthfully report to the maritime administration authority at the port location information such as the vessel’s country of build, flag state, owner, operator, charter situation, and intended ports of call for the current voyage, and pay the Special Port Fee.
Article 7: The maritime administration authority at the port location shall verify the information of all vessels expected to arrive at the port. If suspected concealment or omission of vessel information listed in Article 6 is found, it shall instruct the shipowner or their agent to supplement the information.
Article 8: Vessels that violate these Measures by failing to pay the Special Port Fee in accordance with the regulations shall not be processed for port entry or exit formalities by the maritime administration authority.
If a shipowner or their agent evades payment of the Special Port Fee, for vessels that have already departed a Chinese port, the outstanding fees must be paid in full before the next call at a Chinese port.
Article 9: The scope, standards, and /end times for the collection of the Special Port Fee will be dynamically adjusted as needed.
Article 10: These Measures are interpreted by the Ministry of Transport and shall take effect from the date of issuance.
During the same period, the Maritime Safety Administration of the People’s Republic of China published a reporting guide for the “Vessel US-Related Information Report Form” on its official website. According to the “Announcement of the Ministry of Transport on Collecting Special Port Fees on US Vessels”, shipowners or their agents shall submit the “Vessel US-Related Information Report Form” together with the port entry application materials to the maritime administration authority when applying for entry of an international voyage vessel.
The guide specifies that enterprises can submit relevant materials through the “International Trade Single Window — Vessel Conveyance — Inbound (Port) Dynamic Declaration — Attachment Management” module.
It is understood that the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) initiated a Section 301 investigation into China’s maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding industries in April last year. On April 17, 2025, the US side announced the final Section 301 measures, deciding to impose fees on Chinese shipowners and operators, vessels built in China, and car carriers built anywhere outside the United States. The relevant fees will begin to be levied after a 180-day grace period.
According to this plan, USTR will impose fees based on the net tonnage of vessels owned or operated by Chinese entities for each voyage entering US ports. The fee standard is USD 50 per net ton, and it will be increased annually over the next three years according to specific increments, rising to USD 140 by 2028.
For each vessel built in a Chinese shipyard, regardless of the nationality of the /operator, a fee will also be levied based on either per net ton or per unloaded container (whichever is higher). The initial fee standard is USD 18 per net ton, increasing to USD 33 by 2028; or USD 120 per container, increasing to USD 250 by 2028. Each vessel will be charged a maximum of 5 times per year.
Calculated based on the progressive fee mechanism set in the latest plan, a 10,000 TEU container ship built in a Chinese shipyard calling at a US port will be charged a port fee of USD 1.2 million per voyage (approximately RMB 8.5458 million), which will increase to USD 2.5 million (approximately RMB 17.8037 million) by 2028.
In response to the US Section 301 actions, Premier Li Qiang signed a State Council order in September, promulgating the “Decision of the State Council on Amending the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on International Maritime Transportation”. It explicitly states that “Where any country or region adopts, or assists or supports the adoption of, discriminatory prohibitions, restrictions or other similar measures against business operators, vessels or crew members of the People’s Republic of China engaged in international maritime transport and its auxiliary services, the Government of the People’s Republic of China shall, according to the actual circumstances, take necessary countermeasures, unless relevant treaties or agreements can provide full and effective relief.”
On October 10, the Ministry of Transport announced the collection of Special Port Fees on US vessels. Approved by the State Council, starting October 14, 2025, the Special Port Fee will be collected by the maritime administration authority at the location of the port of call for the following vessels: vessels whose ownership belongs to enterprises, other organizations, or individuals of the United States; vessels operated by enterprises, other organizations, or individuals of the United States; vessels owned or operated by enterprises or other organizations in which enterprises, other organizations, or individuals of the United States directly or indirectly hold 25% or more equity (voting rights, board seats); vessels flying the flag of the United States; and vessels built in the United States.
