Grimaldi Warns U.S. Port Fees Could Force Ships Out of American Trades

Italian shipping giant Grimaldi Group is warning that reinstating U.S. port fees on foreign-built vehicle carriers could force it to redeploy vessels away from American trades, potentially disrupting shipping services for U.S. exporters and automakers.

In an October 30 filing with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), Grimaldi strongly backed the Trump administration’s proposal to extend the suspension of Section 301 port fees through January 9, 2027. The company went a step further, calling for a permanent suspension of the fees targeting foreign-built vehicle carriers.

“Many of our American customers have expressed concern at the thought of Grimaldi redeploying its ships out of US trades if the proposed further suspension of this Section 301 action is not implemented,” the company said.

The warning comes as USTR considers a two-month extension of the existing suspension, which is scheduled to expire November 9. The proposed extension would keep the measures on hold through January 9, 2027, while Washington and Beijing continue negotiations over China’s dominance of global shipbuilding.

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