Trump Admin Lays Out New Port Fees for Chinese-Built Ships

The move is part of the effort to boost shipbuilding in the United States and challenge China’s dominance of the industry.

A China Shipping cargo container sits stacked at the Port of Long Beach in Long Beach, Calif., on April 10, 2025. Patrick Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

The Trump administration has unveiled plans to impose port fees on Chinese-built ships in an effort to level the playing field in the global shipbuilding market, with scaled-back penalties to limit the impact on American businesses and consumers.

Beginning in mid-October, owners and operators of Chinese-built ships will be charged $50 per net ton of cargo, according to a notice released on Thursday by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). The fee is set to rise every year, reaching $140 per net ton in 2028.