U.S. Imposes Shipping Fees as China Responds
The United States has announced a shipping fee of $50 per net ton for vessels calling at its ports, while China has implemented a similar structure, starting with a charge of 400 yuan (approximately $56.22) per net ton, which is set to escalate to 1,120 yuan by 2028, reports 24brussels.
According to estimates from Lloyd’s List, a 35,000 ton vehicle carrier calling at U.S. ports will incur an annual fee of $5.6 million. In contrast, Chinese ports, which frequently service larger bulk carriers exceeding 200,000 tons, may impose even heftier charges.
While the U.S. measure is unlikely to impact European shipping companies significantly, China’s retaliatory actions could have broader repercussions. The Chinese fees are applicable to any vessel owned or operated by companies with at least 25 percent American ownership, a criterion that could potentially affect numerous European firms.
Lightbourn emphasized that the U.S. fees will likely have limited repercussions, stating, “In 2024, out of 85,735 total port calls by internationally trading vessels, only 254 will fall under the fee scope — those made by Chinese-built ships not operated by Chinese shipping companies.”
Philip Damas, head of supply chain consultancy Drewry, further assessed that only around 11 percent of container ships traveling to and from the U.S. would be impacted by this new fee structure.
Beijing Retaliates
China’s response, however, presents a significantly different challenge for global shipping dynamics.
