Container shipping companies with ties to China are set to receive a billion-dollar bill when the US, according to the plan from October 14th, implements new port fees on Chinese ships and Chinese-built vessels. But China is preparing retaliation.
According to an analysis from Alphaliner, the ten largest shipping companies could collectively end up paying 3.2 billion dollars – well over 20 billion DKK – in 2026, if the fleets’ current capacity to the US is maintained. Hardest hit will be COSCO and its subsidiary OOCL with an expected bill of 1.53 billion dollars. Israeli ZIM, ONE, and CMA CGM are estimated to pay 510 million, 363 million, and 335 million dollars respectively.
The fees mean large differences in practice: From 2,121 dollars per teu for COSCO’s US fleet to just 26 dollars per teu for Maersk.
However, the Danish shipping company has previously stated that the planned fees are not expected to affect Maersk.
“It will not cost anything. Neither for us nor our customers,” said Vincent Clerc, CEO of Maersk, in May.
This is because Maersk can reallocate capacity and ensure that the ships built in China do not need to sail to the US, he explained.
China has preemptively announced countermeasures. Premier Li Qiang signed a State Council decree over the weekend that enables the implementation of corresponding measures against countries or regions that impose discriminatory restrictions against Chinese operators, ships, or crews in international shipping.
“These countermeasures include – but are not limited to – charging special fees on their (the US’s, ed.) ships when they call at Chinese ports, prohibitions or restrictions on access to Chinese ports, as well as prohibitions or restrictions on organizations or individuals regarding access to China-related maritime data or operating international shipping and associated services to and from Chinese ports,” states a new Chinese announcement published on Monday, writes the South China Morning Post.
How the decision will specifically impact and what consequences the measures will have is not yet clear.
-emte
