On October 14, 2025, both the United States and China began enforcing reciprocal port charges aimed at  each other’s maritime interests. China’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) announced its levy on October 10, targeting vessels affiliated with the U.S. The measure is widely seen as a direct response to the Section 301 tariff measure introduced by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in April.

As reported by splash247, the new Chinese port fees apply to vessels that are U.S.-owned, operated, built, or flagged. However, there are two exemptions: ships built in China and empty vessels entering Chinese ports for repairs will not be subject to the fees. The charges are assessed on a per voyage basis and capped at five voyages per year.

The implications for global shipping include increased operational complexity and rising shipping costs. So far, no carrier has announced that they will be passing on the additional costs through surcharges.

Reporting from Supply Chain Brain cites Bloomberg data estimating that approximately 11% of container ships globally could face the levy under China’s new plan. An earlier report from splash247 cited BIMCO’s calculations, indicating that 30% of China-linked container ships calling at U.S. ports could be subject to the USTR fees.

In its October 13 Market Pulse report, consultancy Linerlytica projected that China’s port fee measure targeting U.S.-linked companies will have a much broader impact than initially expected. “Even following a last-minute notice to exempt ships built in China, container carriers could be liable to pay up to $2.3Bn in the first year for calling at Chinese ports, compared to $1.2Bn that Chinese operators would pay for calling at U.S. ports starting from 14 October,” Linerlytica wrote.

In a related development, ShippingWatch reported that China expanded its maritime sanctions to include five U.S.-based subsidiaries of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Marine Co. The inclusion of the shipbuilder was reportedly in response to Hanwha’s cooperation with a U.S. investigation into China’s maritime sector.

Source: splash247, Supply Chain Brain, Linerlytica, ShippingWatch