China Fights US Ship Fees with Own Charges

China has announced it will introduce “special port fees” on ships operated by or built in the United States, in direct response to Washington’s recent decision to impose similar charges on Chinese vessels.

The new fees, revealed by China’s transport ministry on Friday, will come into effect on October 14— the same day US ports begin applying their own charges to Chinese-linked ships.

Under the new rules, American vessels arriving at Chinese ports will be required to pay 400 yuan (£44) per net tonne. This amount will rise to 640 yuan in April next year and will continue to increase annually.

The fee will apply per voyage to China rather than per port visit, and each ship will be charged a maximum of five times a year, the ministry said in its statement.

The Chinese government said the measure was a legitimate response aimed at defending the interests of its maritime sector.

“We urge the US side to immediately correct its wrongful practices and cease its unwarranted suppression of China’s shipping industry,” a transport ministry spokesperson said.

Beijing’s decision follows Washington’s move in April to impose fees on ships linked to China, a policy that originated from an investigation launched under the previous US administration into alleged unfair practices in China’s shipbuilding industry.

The tit-for-tat measures come amid deepening tensions between the world’s two largest economies, with both sides trading economic and regulatory blows across a range of sectors, including technology, energy, and now maritime trade.