From October 14, Chinese ports will begin charging additional fees to ships bound for the United States of America. This is Beijing’s response to the US decision to impose additional fees on vessels owned by Chinese companies. This is reported by Global Times.
The new rule applies to vessels owned or operated by US entities or individuals, those owned or controlled 25% or more by the United States, as well as vessels flying the US flag or built in the United States.
If the vessel calls at several Chinese ports in one voyage, the fee will be paid only at the first port. For one vessel, it will not apply for more than five voyages per year. The levy will be 400 yuan ($56) per ton; from April 17, 2026, it will increase to 640 yuan, from April 17, 2027 – to 880 yuan, and from April 17, 2028 – to 1,120 yuan.
The implementation of this decision coincides with the introduction of a US port fee for vessels bound to China. The Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China urged the US to “immediately correct its illegal actions” and end the “unreasonable oppression of the Chinese shipping industry”.
The US charges were imposed as part of an investigation launched by the Donald Trump administration against China’s “unfair practices” in shipbuilding, logistics and maritime spheres. The investigation, which began in early 2025, found that China is using non-market policies to dominate global shipbuilding. Last year, Chinese shipyards built more than a thousand commercial vessels, compared to less than ten in the US.
The US Trade Representative (USTR) gave final approval to these measures in May 2025. According to them, the fees start at $80 per ton for vessels owned or operated by Chinese companies and go up to $23 per ton or $154 per twenty-foot container (TEU) for non-Chinese operators using the Chinese fleet.
