The Trump administration is set to impose new port fees on Chinese ships in a bid to strengthen the US shipbuilding industry and counter China's market dominance.
Effective in 180 days, these regulations will charge Chinese ship owners based on cargo weight, container count, or vehicle capacity, BBC reported.
Bulk carriers will incur a fee of $50 per ton, increasing by $30 annually for three years. Container ships will face charges of $120 per container, while Chinese-built vessels will pay $18 per ton. Non-US built car carriers will be charged $150 per car, with a maximum of six charges per ship annually.
A second phase of the regulations will launch in three years, favoring US-built LNG ships and introducing stricter rules over a 22-year period, according to BBC.
Analysts warn that these measures, combined with recent tariffs of up to 145% on Chinese imports, are already disrupting international trade, causing congestion in European ports and increasing costs for US consumers.
