Chinese port fees imposed on American ships will be suspended for a year after the United States halted investigations into China’s maritime, logistics, and shipyard sectors on November 10, as stated by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce in late October.
The “special port fees” for American vessels, announced on October 10 by the Chinese Ministry of Transport, were a retaliatory measure against similar tariffs the United States imposed in April on Chinese entities, taking effect just four days later.
Since October 14, China has levied additional charges on each trip made by ships owned, operated, or flagged by the United States, as well as those built in the United States or owned by companies with at least 25% American capital.
The fees imposed were 50 dollars (approximately 43.20 euros) per net ton for Chinese vessels entering American ports, intended to rise by 30 dollars annually until 2028, and 56 dollars for American ships arriving at Chinese ports, escalating incrementally to 157 dollars by the same year.
Sector representatives and analysts have warned that these fees could increase operational transport costs, alter routes, or reduce cargo volumes in an industry already strained by rising fuel prices and weakened global trade.
According to industry consultancy Alphaliner, if the measure persisted, the top ten shipping companies could face up to 3.2 billion dollars (2.7 billion euros) in American fees by 2026, with the Chinese state-owned Cosco potentially bearing around 1.53 billion dollars (1.3 billion euros) of that amount.
Besides the port fees, China and the United States have also agreed to reduce some tariffs announced in recent months, suspend certain export restrictions — such as those China announced on rare earths in October — and revive agricultural trade.
