China Hits Back at U.S. Ships With Additional Port Fees

[Kennebec_Captain]

China Hits Back at U.S. Ships With Additional Port Fees

For U.S. vessels berthing at Chinese ports from October 14, the rate will be 400 yuan ($56.13) per net tonne, the Chinese transport ministry said.

That will increase to 640 yuan ($89.81) from April 17, 2026, and to 880 yuan ($123.52) from April 17, 2027.

For vessels calling at Chinese ports from April 17, 2028, the charge will be 1,120 yuan ($157.16) per net tonne.

[ombugge]

The key words are; “Vessels owned or operated by U.S. firms and individuals”
See here:

Shipping News revived

Now the Chinese retaliation against USTR fees on Chinese affiliated ships in US ports has been announced: This will affect also US owned and operated vessels, which is a lot more than just the few US-flagged vessels that call at Chinese ports. In fact US interests owned and control the 4th largest fleet in the world by asset value, according to this table: [image] Source: Top 10 Shipowning Nations by Total Asset Value for 2024 - VesselsValue Blog That will impact more than just US and C…

[Hogsnort]

US interests own a fair chunk of the Liberian Flag among others.

[ombugge]

China accuses US of 'double standards' over tariff threat

The spokesperson said that for “a long time”, the US had “overstretched the concept of national security, abused export control measures” and “adopted discriminatory practices against China”.
“Resorting to tariff threats is not the right way to engage with China,” the spokesperson said.
“China’s position on a tariff war has always been consistent: we do not want one, but we are not afraid of one.”

The recent comments from Washington and Beijing are being seen by some as a means of strengthening positions ahead of future trade talks.
It is unclear whether a meeting between Trump and Xi, expected at a summit in South Korea later this month, will still proceed.

A bit more conciliatory tunes from Trump/Vance here:

Trump, Vance open door to China deal as trade spat drags on

[tengineer1]

Because TACO.

[spowiednick]

Update: Guidance on the implementation of the China special port charges due to take effect on 14 October 2025 source: SKULD P&I Club

Update: Guidance on the implementation of the China Special Port Fees...

[ombugge]

Forgot that there were a separate thread. Here is a link to my post on this subject today:

Shipping News revived

It’s “fee day” today: PS> I wonder how well thought through the various policies brought forward by the Trump administration really is. This is NOT the 1960s, or even 1980s-90s, when US was still a leader in world economy: [us-share-of-global-gdp] Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/u-s-share-of-global-economy-over-time/ In world trade US is not fearing as well: Source: U.S. Trade Trends - WITA . More sanction news:

[renoun]

I’m watching with great interest as my employer is in the midst of trying to determine how many tons of a particular specialty steel commodity to order from a trusted Chinese vendor for Q1 2026 delivery. It’s always a challenge since our consumption of different thicknesses is highly variable but the unknowns with tariffs and shipping volatility is adding even more complexity.

The next couple of months is already going to be complicated by having exhausted our supply of one thickness and being resupplied just in time for Golden Week to impact the export.

[Kennebec_Captain]

Lloyd's List

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd divert two US‑flagged ships from China to dodge port fees

Article is behind a paywall.

• Move comes as Chinese port fees were implemented on Tuesday
• Both rerouted ships were built in South Korea and operate on Maersk’s TP7 route
• Carriers expected to incur costs of $2.3bn under Beijing’s port fee levies

Vessels will discharge cargoes in South Korea instead. Further changes on transpacific routes expected

[ombugge]

The “fun and game” is on. Who blinks first?:

Panamax boxship hit with $1.7m Shanghai fee as China’s new port levies bite -...

[quote]
Carried below is a useful chart from broker Braemar breaking down how the American and Chinese charges work out:

[AKBJR]

“Matson Waikiki” Liberian flag

[ombugge]

It appears that a lot of news media says “US-flagged”, although she is indeed flying Libera flag and German owned.
Could the mistake come from Matson advertising themselves as; " Superior U.S.-Flagged Service"?: U.S.-Flagged Shipping Services: Reliable Solutions | MATSON

She probably fall under the" 25% USA Ownership/Operated" category.

PS> They don’t appear to have a “Fleet List” showing on the above webpage,

[Kennebec_Captain]

An article from Maritime Executive reports that the U.S flagged container ship Manukai has a fee of nearly $630,000 and a ship operating under charter to Matson, the Liberian flagged Matson Waikiki is also liable for port fees. The Hapag-Lloyd, U.S flagged ship Potomac Express is reported to have diverted to Busan to avoid the port fees.

Ships React to Fees as China Calls for U.S. to “Correct its Wrongdoings"

[Hawespiper]

@Kennebec_Captain

U.S flagged ship Potomac Express is reported to have diverted to Busan to avoid the port fees.

Maersk Kinloss (on the same liner service as the Potomac Express) is also skipping China due to the fees. Going to do an extra stop in Korea

[ombugge]

The tit-for-tat port fee debacle between US and China is already changing Boardrooms in Shipping companies:

U.S.-China Port-Fee Clash Sparks Boardroom Upheaval in...

What comes next?
Will Shipping companies listed on the New York, Shanghai, Hong Kong Stock Exchanges move away?
If so, who win their listing? (EuroNext, London, Oslo. Tokyo, Singapore, or… ?)
Or is that not regarded in “25% involvement”?

[ombugge]

Then it is over!!!

Port fee showdown postponed as US and China return to talks - Splash247

Maybe for now, but for how long?

While the postponement offers a short-term reprieve for shipowners, it does not resolve the wider question of whether such differential port charges could become a longer-term feature of maritime trade policy. For now, the focus turns to negotiations — and whether the thaw in Busan will last long enough to calm one of the shipping industry’s newest and most unusual flashpoints, something that has already seen two of Hong Kong’s largest shipowners – Pacific Basin and Seaspan – relocate to Singapore to avoid the aggressive American fees.

What about the extra fees paid so far? Will those be refunded (with or without an apology) by both sides?

PS> Maybe it is time to realize that thois is the 2020s, not the 1960s.