Fees on Chinese-built, owned or operated vessels and foreign-built car carriers are set to start in October 2025, while ’limited restrictions’ on LNG transported on foreign-built vessels will begin in April 2028
The United States Trade Representative (USTR), the US’ federal foreign trade agency under the US President’s Executive Office, has published a formal notice of action to implement a new port fee structure for many vessels visiting US ports.
The terms of the notice differ from those outlined in aUSTR proposal in February 2025 that was followed by a public consultation period and hearings, and have been expanded in scope.
While the USTR has set explicit dates for the onset of port fees in its notice, the agency has also scheduled another hearing on the actions for 19 May 2025. The USTR notice said that comments and requests to appear to testify in person at the hearing must be submitted here by 8 May.
If the port fees structure is not further amended or delayed, fees will begin to be levied on 14 October 2025 for port visits by Chinese-owned, operated or built vessels, as well as vehicle carriers built outside of the US.
Fees are laid out in a series of four annexes the the USTR’s Notice of Action and Proposed Action in Section 301 Investigation of China’s Targeting the Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding Sectors for Dominance, Request for Comments.
USTR fee structure outlined
According to the USTR the fees are not cumulative, and the rules, as written, include several limitations and exemptions.
The fees for Chinese-owned or operated vessels that are not vehicle carriers will begin at US$50 per net tonne and will increase, incrementally, to reach US$140 per net tonne in April 2028.
For Chinese-built vessels, fees will begin at US$18 per net tonne and stairstep up to US$33 per net tonne by April 2028.
Container ships will pay the higher total of fees levied against a vessel’s net tonnageor a set of fees calculated per container, beginning at US$120 per container and rising to US$250 per container by April 2028.
For all foreign-built vehicle carriers, the fees will be US$150 per car equivalent unit (CEU).
For LNG exports from the US, a major LNG producer, the USTR notice sets out a gradually increasing requirement to carry cargoes on US-built vessels starting from April 2028 and continuing for 22 years. From 17 April 2028, at least 1% of all LNG intended for export by vessel during each calendar year is required to be exported on a US-built vessel. By April 2047, the percentage will be 15% of all LNG cargoes.
