The United States on the 14th (local time) began imposing port entry fees on Chinese ships.
According to the New York Times (NYT) and others, the U.S. government on this day put into effect a policy, as the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) previewed in April, to impose a port entry fee of $50 per net ton (about 70,000 won) on ships operated or owned by Chinese corporations. The United States plans to raise the entry fee in stages to $140 per ton by 2028.
Even if a ship is operated by corporations from countries other than China, the United States will impose the higher of the ton-based or container-based expense as the port entry fee if the ship was built in China. The ton-based fee, currently at $18, will gradually rise to $33 by 2028, and the container-based fee will increase from $120 to $250.
This measure is intended to keep China's shipbuilding and shipping industries in check and encourage construction of U.S.-made ships. Earlier, after launching a Section 301 of the Trade Act investigation into China's maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding industries in April last year, the USTR concluded in January that China is competing unfairly to dominate these industries, harming the United States.
China, in a tit-for-tat move, also began imposing port entry fees on U.S. ships starting the same day. China will charge 400 yuan per net ton (about 80,000 won) when ships owned or operated by U.S. corporations, organizations, or individuals; ships owned or operated by corporations or organizations in which U.S. corporations, organizations, or individuals hold 25% or more equity directly or indirectly; ships flying the U.S. flag; or ships built in the United States berth at Chinese ports.
The fee is scheduled to increase in stages to 640 yuan per net ton (about 127,000 won) from Apr. 17, 2026; 880 yuan (about 175,000 won) from Apr. 17, 2027; and 1,120 yuan (about 223,000 won) from Apr. 17, 2028.