US Port Operators, Shippers Call on Trump to Scuttle Proposed China Port Fees

U.S. shippers argue the fees would disproportionately harm American-owned carriers serving short-sea routes between domestic ports.

The U.S. flag flies over a container ship unloading cargo from Asia at the Port of Long Beach in California on Aug. 1, 2019. Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images

President Donald Trump’s April 9 Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance executive actions package is drawing praise from the United States’ $2.1 trillion ports industry, but also generating anxiety over his proposed plan to impose “port fees” of up to $3.5 million on “China-linked” commercial carriers as soon as April 17.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative proposed levying multimillion-dollar fees in February after an investigation determined China’s maritime industry violates the 1974 Trade Act with “acts, policies, and practices that burden or restrict U.S. commerce.”