USTR urged to permanently suspend China-linked ship fees

Stakeholders such as the World Shipping Council and the National Retail Federation are concerned fees will “add another cost layer to an already strained transportation system.”

Trade groups and shipper associations representing retailers, manufacturers and other importers are urging U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to permanently suspend Section 301 fees on China-built or China-linked vessels, according to an Oct. 30 letter to the agency.

Section 301 fees on China-linked vessels have been paused for a year. The current suspension is set to lift Nov. 9. Last month, USTR proposed extending the suspension until Jan. 9, 2027. USTR asked for public comments in the federal filing, which were due Oct. 30.

The paused fees range from $18 per ton to $120 per container with a policy aimed to incentivize domestic shipbuilding by offering vessel owners an up-to-three-year exemption on fees if they ordered a new U.S.-built vessel.

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